EMEL inspectors suspected of attacking citizens suspended from duty

The three inspectors of the Lisbon Mobility and Parking Company (EMEL) who allegedly assaulted the 35-year-old man have been suspended from their duties, the company’s president said Wednesday during a municipal assembly hearing.

EMEL President Carlos Silva was heard before the 8th Commission of the Municipal Assembly of Lisbon this afternoon on an incident involving three employees of a municipal company who allegedly assaulted a citizen.

This case was reported last week. morning Postwho reported that three inspectors were involved in the alleged aggression, who broke three teeth and the nose of the 35-year-old victim.

That day, EMEL announced in a statement that it had launched an investigation to determine the “disciplinary responsibility” of the screening agents involved in the alleged aggression and keep their functions out of contact with the public.

At the time, a PSP source confirmed to Lusa that he had identified the people involved in the incident, all EMEL employees between the ages of 43 and 47, and that the 35-year-old man was assisted on the spot by the National Institute. emergency room (INEM) and then taken to San Jose Hospital.

At this afternoon’s hearing, the president of EMEL realized that the three inspectors had been suspended from their duties as of Friday “in a proactive manner without loss of remuneration” while the disciplinary investigation is ongoing.

Starting with regret over the alleged incident, Carlos Silva emphasized that the municipal company “has a 28-year history” and that this is the first time that EMEL inspectors are seen as alleged aggressors.

“EMEL has a 28-year history, and this is the first situation when allegedly someone from EMEL attacks a citizen. In this case, I think we can’t confuse the tree with the forest and punish EMEL in some way because the three employees were less diligent,” he defended, acknowledging that the episode could “tarnish the company’s image.”

On the other hand, noting that he does not want to play down the situation, Carlos Silva reported on the number of attacks (physical and verbal) committed against EMEL employees over the past seven years.

According to the data released by the President of EMEL, from 2016 to this year, 161 lawsuits have been registered against EMEL employees as victims, 39 of which relate to crimes against physical integrity, and 121 to bodily harm and aggression.

“This does not excuse anyone, but we cannot but emphasize that violence takes place against those who work with us,” he said.

Carlos Silva referred to the fact that there is no forecast for the completion of the disciplinary investigation yet, but expressed his intention that it be “completed as soon as possible.”

A week ago, in a statement, EMEL announced the new composition of the supervisory board and said that since March it has been implementing a “new philosophy” in this area to transform processes and approach to citizens.

The announcement by the company, which monitors and regulates parking in the capital, comes a day after Lisbon City Council vice president Filipe Anacoreta Correia (CDS-PP), in charge of mobility, said he was “shocked”. when he became aware of the increase in remuneration associated with the fines of EMEL, and that this measure was “immediately suspended”.