The Police Union Association of Police Officers (ASPP/PSP) warned today in Parliament of the “difficult and difficult” situation that the PSP currently finds itself in, an institution that is “too outdated and has little operational capacity”.
“We live in a complex and difficult situation in the PSP,” ASPP President Paulo Santos told deputies who are part of a working group created under the Commission on Labor, Welfare and Integration in a hearing on the situation of pre-retirement age, provided for by the professional statute of the Public Police security in force since 2015.
The professional statute of the PSP establishes the requirements for the retirement of police officers, which amount to 55 years or 36 years of service, but according to Paulo Santos, from 2015 until now “there has never been respect or fulfillment” of this document, “always armored” The state budget, which determines deductions for pre-retirement with the introduction of new elements.
However, according to him, in recent years, the PSP has faced the problem of “lack of attractiveness, which leads to a lack of candidates.”
As an example, Paulo Santos reported that the Police Practical School in Torres Novas currently trains 576 future police officers and 1,020 vacancies have opened up in this course.
The president of the ASPP considered that the unattractiveness in the PSP is associated with low wages and the characteristics of the profession.
“The minister responded through the policy of charity and welfare. But the problem must go through the salary component, improving working conditions and mobility,” he stressed, emphasizing that the issue of a shortage of candidates for the police is “not relevant.” implicit implications for institutional aging”.
According to the president of the largest trade union PSP, “the staff is too old and unable to work.”
With this hearing, requested by the ASPP, the union intended to alert MPs to the reality and express concern about what could happen in the future, namely this year and 2024, when “the situation will get even worse” as there are a large number of police officers who have reached the age limit at 60 years old.
“Out of about 20,000 police officers, about 4,000 are between the ages of 55 and 60. The problem is the number of police officers who will turn 60 in 2023 and 2024,” he said, hoping that “there is no attempt to put the pre-retirement age above 60.”
Paulo Santos explained that there is currently a legal mechanism in the state budget that does not allow police officers to retire between the ages of 55 and 60, but expressed concerns about the future and that “an attempt is being made to increase the age to 62”.
When asked by deputies about the number of police needed, Paulo Santos said that it is unknown.
“Out of 20 thousand police officers, it was important to know how many were on duty, who responded to the requests of the population in the police,” he said.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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