33 new teams from the Intervention Corps of the Special Police Unit, with 390 police officers, and around 200 GNR soldiers will reinforce the presence of these security forces in the Algarve during the summer. During this period, the population in the region increases, due to the tourism, but Eduardo Cabrita, Minister of Internal Administration, is confident that "we are going to have an even safer Algarve".
This Thursday, June 21, the summer officially began and, therefore, there was no better date to present the new edition of the “Algarve Seguro” program, whose objective is to strengthen the human and material resources of the forces and security services.
For the summer of this year, the PSP is planned to be reinforced with 33 teams from the Intervention Corps of the Special Police Unit, operating until 23 September, in Portimão and Tavira, as well as the arrival of four Prevention and Immediate Reaction teams, for Faro and Portimão. In Vila Real de Santo António, Tavira, Olhão, Lagos and at the Airport of Faro, there will still be cycle-patrols.
To the effective of 879 agents of the District Operations Command Faro PSP, may come to join more human resources from other police units, whenever this is justified.
As for the GNR, it will have around 200 soldiers in permanent reinforcement, in the Algarve, supported by 19 vehicles, five technical teams and four on horse patrol.
Until September 15, the Guarda Nacional Republicana will also intensify its patrols in places of large parties, such as the MED Festival and the Motard de Concentration of Faro. This year, the joint patrols between Portuguese and Spanish soldiers are still returning.
In Portugal, these patrols will be in Quarteira, Altura and Monte Gordo, and, in Spain, in the localities of Ayamonte, Isla Cristina and Lepe. As for Albufeira, it will be patrolled with Portuguese and French agents, from the National Gendarmerie.
As for the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), since 1 June, it has already had a 32% increase in the number of inspectors in the Regional Directorate of the Algarve. The delegations of Albufeira, Portimão and Tavira will also have a 60% increase in the number of inspectors.
The airport of Faro it has a 50% increase in the number of first-line border control inspectors.
Despite this increase in the security forces in the Algarve, during the summer, Rogério Bacalhau, mayor of Faro, present at the session, revealed to be "with anxiety and expectation if all the means are enough". It is, he defended, the «Algarve is not just summer», having requested the «special attention of the Government in this matter».
Later, in his speech, Eduardo Cabrita responded by saying that the executive's commitment «with the Algarve is for the whole year». "We want the Algarve to be a decisive component in what is now the image of Portugal: a country marked by very high security indicators," he added.
According to the minister, the region has, in this image of security that is linked to Portugal, an "essential role". Therefore, he recalled, «if 2017 was a beautiful year for tourism in the Algarve, we are sure that the safety image contributed to this result».
To journalists, on the sidelines of the session, Eduardo Cabrita said that the reinforcement of means, as well as the "commitment of Civil Protection", under the Special Provision for Combating Rural Fires (DECIR), makes him confident that «we are going to have an even safer Algarve».
The government official also revealed that, by 2019, there are «6 million euros to invest, in almost all the Algarve's municipalities, in GNR and PSP infrastructure». In addition, from August, there will be a renewal of the "car park" of both security forces.
In this presentation session of “Algarve Seguro”, three local security contracts were signed: one with the Humanitarian Association of Firefighters of Portimão, for the “Reviver o Bairro” project, others with the António Aleixo Foundation (project “Caminhos” ) and with the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Silves (“O Meu Bairro” project).
Photos: Pedro Lemos | Sul Informação
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