Moedas announces a new police station in Lisbon

The mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, this Monday swore in the new 25 members of the municipal police, acknowledging the existing shortage, and announced a new police station that will open “very soon” in Praça das Flores.

At a ceremony held at the Lisbon City Hall, Carlos Moedas acknowledged the existing shortage of operational personnel, since the municipality has 400 municipal police officers, and, according to the mayor, “there should be 600 to ensure security.” and peace to the city.”

“We approached the previous government and it was decided that 200 more, that’s only 25, and we need at least 200 more because many are retiring and leaving the security forces,” explained Carlos Moedas.

According to the mayor, the importance of this new force lies in “the ability to protect the inhabitants of Lisbon, to be present, to give people peace of mind and, above all, to have the city’s greatest asset: security.”

“I see few police on the streets, few PSPs, we also need not only municipal police, but also PSPs. We need more proximity, we need more police stations,” admitted Carlos Moedas, criticizing the fact that many police stations have been removed. in the past he has claimed there would be more police on the streets, “and that’s not true,” he lamented.

Carlos Moedas took the opportunity to announce that he will open a new police station, which will be a mixed one, combining PSP and municipal police, in Praça da Alegria, next to Avenida da Liberdade, one of the places in Lisbon where several are represented Problems recently, as he explained to reporters.

“Over the next few weeks we will be able to [a abertura da nova esquadra]there is always a bureaucratic problem, but the presidential decree has already been given,” said the mayor, stressing that he has the support of the municipal police commander José Figueira, also present at the ceremony, as well as the approval of the PSP. .

According to Carlos Moedas, the new elements “are PSP agents and officers who are now joining the municipal police force” with specialties in traffic and mobility, as well as local police officers with experience in neighborhood policing.

The mayor also wanted to dispel the myth that municipal police “don’t deal with crime,” emphasizing that they are “agents of government that do a little bit of everything in the city.”

“Municipal police are not just administrative police, they cannot give the impression that they do not deal with crimes, since they are engaged in ensuring security every day,” he said, recalling that “they must act when there is a thief who needs to be caught.” “.

Carlos Moedas also added that while the city has not seen an “increase in the number of crimes,” there has been an “increase in the violence with which they are committed,” acknowledging that this is a “problem for the city.”

“I feel that in some areas of the city, such as Avenida da Liberdade, I have [recebido] Every day there are calls from traders and restaurants, as well as messages from tourists that they are being threatened in the middle of the avenue,” he said.

The mayor also confirmed that he has a Security Council that regularly reports data to him, and the latest data available indicates that there is less crime, but more violent crime.

“It is very disturbing to see the increase in violence. We are still a very safe city, but this could take us down other paths and that is why we will act,” he said.

According to Municipal Police Commander José Figueira, these new 25 elements “play a very important role in the security of the city of Lisbon, in addition to the PSP.”

According to the official, these agents will perform the functions of prevention and inspection of roads, inspection of public institutions, markets and fairs, and will also be part of the public order project, which, according to him, “has brought the police very close to citizens in various areas of Lisbon “