Five years ago, he was the main driving force behind an association to bridge the gap between the international community and the different security and civil protection forces in the Algarve. On Thursday, David Thomas, founder of Safe Communities Algarve, received a distinction from the Queen of England, for his meritorious and fully voluntary work with the British and international population in the Algarve.
The British Empire Award was awarded to David Thomas in a ceremony that took place in Lisbon, at the residence of the Ambassador of England in Portugal. The event was attended by representatives of security forces and various Portuguese entities, in many cases the heads of the organizations present.
Since 2011, when Safe Communities Algarve took its first steps (constitution as an association only happened the following year), David Thomas and his team signed protocols with nine entities, including GNR, PSP, SEF and PJ, but also with the National Civil Protection Authority, AMAL and Algarve Tourism.
The practical result of this approach has been a significant decrease in serious crimes against the foreign population in the Algarve and a substantial increase in the perception of security among the international community.
“We launched Safe Comunnities Algarve to help the region's police, as at the time [2011] there was a lot of serious crime directed at foreigners, particularly in more isolated areas of the interior. And, of course, the international community was worried, the Civil Governor [Isilda Gomes] was extremely worried and the GNR was open to ideas that could help them solve the problem,” he explained to Sul Informação David Thomas.
This situation led him to approach the Civil Government and the GNR commander. “It was following the conversations that we had that we decided to create Safe Communities Algarve, not to duplicate the work of the police, but to help. And I think it worked out very well», he considered.
In practice, from the moment the association began to collaborate with the authorities, there was a consistent decrease in serious crime directed at the international community. More than improving statistics, the partnership between Safe Communities and different police forces helped the Algarve to maintain and even strengthen its image as a safe tourist destination.
The success was such that Safe Communities Algarve ended up changing its name to Safe Communities Portugal, extending its operations to various parts of the country, in 2014.
"We have also expanded our areas of work to include cybercrime, which is a serious matter, and civil protection, particularly in the issue of fires," said David Thomas in an interview with Sul Informação.
Setting up a collaborative network, involving civilians, security forces and entities with the most different skills, is a difficult task. But that did not demotivate David Thomas, who drew on his vast experience as a police officer, which had a strong component of international cooperation.
“I worked in the Hong Kong Police Department for 30 years. I also spent four years at Interpol, in Lyon, France, and for six months I was part of a special project of the United Nations, in Bangkok, called UNODC – United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime», said David Thomas.
For the president of Safe Communities, the experience gained during his professional life “was important, as I had the opportunity to speak with police forces from many different countries”.
When he retired about 11 years ago, David Thomas chose the Algarve to settle down with his family. «We spent holidays in different European countries and, in the 90s, we started coming to the Algarve. We really liked this region: the people are very nice, the climate is very good and it was very cheap at the time (laughs). That's why we decided to buy a house here and live here after I retired», he recalled.
“I am absolutely delighted with this distinction, because it has to do with my personal effort and with what we have done in Safe Communities Portugal. But I also think that it mirrors everyone who works with me, as it's not just me and the other members of the association, it's also the police and all the other entities that work with us. Being recognized by the Queen of England is, without a doubt, great for all of us», he considered.
And, despite this being an award given by the English monarch to a British citizen, Safe Communities is far from being an association that places special emphasis on the community coming from the UK: it is dedicated to supporting all foreigners who live in or visit Portugal and also has the help of Portuguese.
“I like to think that the association serves all communities, as it is very important that it does. Suffice it to say that, at the head of the association, we are five members, one British, one Australian, one North American, one Spanish and one Portuguese», illustrated David Thomas.
Safe Communities' work starts with collaborating with authorities to increase safety (and your perception) with the foreign community. But they are also a reference for any foreigner who has a problem in Portugal.
“Usually, we are most sought after by people who need support: I lost my passport or I was the victim of a crime, what should I do?” he said.
A work that David Thomas will continue to do and that, who knows, he will be able to describe himself to the Queen of England, as he was invited by Elizabeth II "to be present at a reception at Buckingham Palace, next year".
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