General and violent crime decreased in the Algarve in 2018, according to data revealed this Tuesday, January 29, at the ceremony of the Territorial Command Unity Day of Faro of the GNR, which took place in Silves. However, despite the good results, the district commander says that "resources are scarce" and Eduardo Cabrita, minister of the internal administration, agrees.
According to Commander Joaquim Crasto, with regard to general crime, 2018 crimes were recorded in 13657, 171 less than in 2017. "In this context, it is worth mentioning the decrease in crimes against property, with 105 fewer crimes being registered of this type, which is one of those that causes the most social alarm and affects the feeling of security of the populations the most».
Violent crime also decreased, with 449 crimes being registered, and in 2017 the number rose to 495.
In total, 2153 people were detained in the region by the GNR. Of these, 966 were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, 369 for driving without a license, 96 for crimes against law enforcement officials, 47 for possession of prohibited weapons and 295 for possession and drug trafficking.
With regard to domestic violence, 771 complaints were registered, 62 fewer than in 2017, and 15 aggressors were arrested.
Also according to data revealed by Joaquim Crasto, 8191 road accidents were recorded, which resulted in 39 fatalities, 175 serious injuries and 1172 minor injuries.
To prevent the numbers of road accidents from being even higher, last year, the GNR controlled the speed of almost 309 drivers and passed 6601 fines for serious or very serious violations for speeding. As far as alcohol control is concerned, 91205 tests were carried out, of which 2943 presented results higher than those permitted by law.
In a year marked by the great fire in Monchique, the GNR recorded 357 fires in the Algarve, with two arsonists arrested and 45 suspects identified.
Out of curiosity, Joaquim Crasto also revealed that in the Algarve, in 2018, 70723 patrols were carried out by the GNR soldiers, on foot or on horseback, which is equivalent to almost 4 million kilometers covered.
"The values do not represent the totality of the service produced, but represent the commitment and dedication of the military of this command", stressed the commander of the Territorial Command of Faro of the GNR, which celebrates its 2019th anniversary in 10.
Despite the positive results, Joaquim Crasto emphasizes that “local authorities, on behalf of the citizens they represent, emphasize the need for more staff. Recognizing that resources are scarce and that their increase and distribution depend on the upper echelon of the guard, local solutions have been sought to fully respond to the population's requests, concerns and needs».
According to the official, even so, the Command “has responded satisfactorily in terms of the requested increase in security” and “the assigned missions, the fulfillment of them and the results achieved have been superior to the sum of the parts”.
In his speech, Minister Eduardo Cabrita assumed that "more resources are needed" and that is the reason "for placing three air resources centers in the Algarve", the reason "for the priority of the Algarve in interconnection with Spain, in surveillance from the coast and in the relationship between the GNR and the Spanish Civil Guard, hence the priority for the start of the vehicle renewal program, which at the end of last year allowed two dozen vehicles to arrive in the region, half of them for protection structures and help».
“And, also for this reason, the priority given, in the summer, so that the 950 guards, who were trained in the training centers, had, in the Algarve, the priority to do the internship”, added Eduardo Cabrita.
The official also left a “word of recognition and homage to the more than 1100 women and men who, in this territorial command, serve Portugal, in the GNR” and particularly recalled the action of the military during the fire in Monchique.
«I was here, in August, very close, in Enxerim, when this region was affected by the most significant fire of the year. Here, the Guard fulfilled, in an exemplary way, the strategic priority defined in terms of security in relation to forest fires, which is the absolute safeguard of the lives of the population. It was possible to orderly make evacuations and protect populations. I wanted to honor this work».
Regarding the results presented, Eduardo Cabrita highlighted that «the indicated indicators show, also in the Algarve, that which is a national trend, which is the reduction of violent and serious crime, which is the one that most affects the population's awareness of security».
For the minister, these results are «decisive for the quality of life of the Portuguese and the Algarve, but also for the image of this region, which is so important for the country. Tourism is an essential activity in the Algarve. There is no tourism without a security image. We are well aware of various places in the world, where there is no lack of attributes and qualities, but where tourists do not go, because they are associated with images of high insecurity».
Eduardo Cabrita considers that, for all this, «it is so important that the Algarve has been an example, as the region in which all municipalities are partners in a Local Security Contract».
"Because this dimension of proximity, of articulation of security forces, living forces in the region and local authorities, contributes to the feeling of collective security," he concluded.
Photos: Nuno Costa | Sul Informação
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