Laurels. Three PSP squadrons have been without patrol cars for a month

The Public Security Police (PSP) has registered a lack of vehicles in service, mainly due to the scarce investment in their maintenance. The situation has particularly affected the Loures police division, which serves nearly 300,000 people.

According to the leader of the Union Association of Police Professionals (ASPP), for about a month, the police stations of Caneças, Pontinha and Sacavém have not had a single patrol car in service for the municipalities of Loures and Torres Vedras.

In statements to Renaissance, Paulo Santos says there is a lack of money for maintenance, a recurring situation across the country. “The vehicles exist, but they have malfunctions, they go to maintenance in the workshops. What we get is a lack of funds to be able to respond to those anomalies.”

“The Minister [da Administração Interna] says that everything is fine, that things are moving along, [que] investment is being made. But the reality, somewhat transversal throughout the country and, specifically, in this issue of Loures, is that in March there is no longer capacity for vehicles to circulate.”

The mayor of Loures also reveals concern about the problem, which he has already reported to the Minister of Internal Administration. Ricardo Leão points out that he has been trying to make up for the lack of PSP means by strengthening the Municipal Police.

“Around 19 new agents joined in June. We will have a body of 50 municipal police officers. We are also reinforcing in terms of vehicles, including motorcycles, to somehow compensate for this lack of means that the PSP he has.”

However, the mayor admits that the solution found does not resolve what he considers to be a “fundamental problem” for the national police, “because the PSP obviously has powers that the Municipal Police do not have”l. “Therefore, I am really concerned about this lack of means in terms of vehicles.”