This Wednesday, the national director of the PSP criticized what he called a “slightly Kafkaesque” process that is delaying the installation of video surveillance systems in the country, specifically citing the position of the National Data Protection Commission.
“The process that we have of granting and authorizing the installation of video surveillance systems is a frustrating process – it comes from the law – a little Kafkaesque and with several players with very different views on security issues, namely National Security. It must be said that the Commission for Data Protection (CNPD). Therefore, there are still many questions, many areas for improvement,” said Magina da Silva from Faro.
The National Director of PSP spoke during the presentation of the program “Verão Seguro”, held in the Algarve capital.
Magina da Silva stressed that “it is difficult for a mayor who is willing to invest in video surveillance that if everything goes well, [em] two years, two years, you will be able to see the installed cameras.”
It is necessary for the official to “overcome some of the traumas of the Estado Novo, Big Brother, whatever you want to call it”, in the sense of “definitely including video surveillance as a tool of public safety”, which is considered important for the task of crime prevention, prosecution and timely response.
“We can’t have a policeman on every corner, but we can have a camera on every corner and a policeman looking at all the cameras,” emphasized the National Director of the CAP.
Magina da Silva acknowledged that, given the lack of human resources, “a video surveillance tool for public spaces and public access is fundamental.”
“We won’t have more police, we don’t and it doesn’t look like we will have much more police, we should work better with the ones we have,” he added, recalling that the video surveillance system allowed “quickly” identify those responsible for the attacks on a Nepalese immigrant in Olyan at the end of January.
Faced with Majina da Silva’s statements, the interior minister said he agreed “with the need to make the process more flexible, because it’s really not possible to wait two or three years for a final order.”
“This is a job that all institutions should be doing. We will try to reveal our competences. (…) It is obvious that we need to respond faster to these requests that we are receiving today from the Portuguese municipalities”, supported José Luis Carneiro about “the possibilities to respond to increasingly pressing needs”.
The government also intends to develop models of video surveillance, namely with alarm systems, that is, “early warning mechanisms for signs that may present a danger, and therefore allowing for the early use of operational means,” the interior minister explained.
“That is, if we have a car going in the wrong direction at a roundabout or on a highway, we have a video surveillance system that, in addition to recording an image, can give an alarm to the security forces, which will allow them to react faster,” he demonstrated.