The newly-expanded and renamed Safe Communities Portugal was launched on Wednesday 14 January at the British Embassy in Lisbon, in a ceremony hosted by British Ambassador to Portugal, Kirsty Hayes.
The ceremony was also attended by the Dutch Ambassador to Portugal, Govert Bijl de Vroe, representatives from other missions, representatives of the Office of the Mayor of Lisbon and of the Mayor of Cascais, Public Security Police (PSP), Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR), Autoridade de Protecção Civil (ANPC), and other invited guests.
David Thomas, President of Safe Communities Portugal, said that the forming of the organisation was “an important milestone” in community engagement with the police, by expanding those services currently being provided by Safe Communities Algarve to other areas in Portugal.
He added that given the “considerable interest” shown in the services – the Safe Communities Algarve website currently receives around 150,000 hits per month – and with the support of police, it was an opportune time for further development.
A new website is being developed while the existing Safe Communities Algarve website will continue to provide all the services it currently does to people living in or visiting the region.
Commenting on the development HM Ambassador Kirsty Hayes said: “I am delighted to see that the invaluable services provided by Safe Communities Algarve have now been extended to the whole of the country with the launch of Safe Communities Portugal.
“This innovative and important initiative should help British residents to ensure that their property and personal possessions are well protected, and keep them up to date with local developments”.
During the ceremony, a national protocol was signed between Safe Communities Portugal (SCP) and the GNR, represented by Major General Luís Francisco Botelho Miguel, Operational Commander of the GNR; and a protocol between SCP and the PSP Lisbon Metropolitan Command represented by Superintendent Jorge Alexandre Gonçalves Maurício, Commander, Lisbon Metropolitan PSP Command, formalising the responsibilities of the various parties. The aim of the protocols are to work together in order “to promote safer communities, enhance security awareness and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime”.
These include the holding of joint seminars, the promotion of police arrests and crime prevention and encouraging the reporting of suspicious activities to police as well as promoting safer communities and enhancing security awareness through the development of joint initiatives aimed at maintaining safe communities as well as Portugal as a safe destination.
On Wednesday afternoon Safe Communities also signed a protocol with the Algarve inter-municipal association AMAL, with a view to working closer together, providing support on jointly-planned functions, and sharing information.
For more, see: www.safecom munitiesalgarve.com.