Councillors in Portimão have given the green light to a project to set up a CCTV video surveillance system in Praia da Rocha by the end of the year.
It is described as a “priority in the fight against crime” by mayoress Isilda Gomes, who is working alongside PSP police to implement the system “as fast as possible”.
Praia da Rocha is one of the Algarve’s most popular nightlife spots, known for its large beach, bar strip, casino and many hotels.
But a recent rise in violent crime – like the case of an Irishman who was stabbed repeatedly by two people in May (click here)- has prompted feeling that a CCTV system could go a long way towards promoting increased security.
How much it costs depends on the number of cameras to be set up, though Gomes stresses “we cannot put a price on safety”.
The mayoress reassured citizens concerned about privacy, saying “only PSP police will have access to the footage”.
She added that the system may be expanded to the town centre and Alvor riverside “depending on its success and the council’s financial capacity”.
