Two PSP police chiefs have been suspended for “acts of torture” meted out on recruits during rapid intervention training in Lisbon. The seven recruits were beaten with truncheons and verbally insulted. One was beaten so badly that he lost the full vision of one eye, explains Correio da Manhã. Ensuing complaints have seen both police commanders involved suspended from duty for differing periods and transferred to other services.
Sub-commissioner Ângelo Ferreira was condemned to 121 days’ suspension, and police training officer Rubino Bettencourt to 45 days.
The pair had been overseeing a so-called Red Man training session, designed to prepare recruits for the city’s Rapid Intervention Unit.
The session involved “confronting agents with situations requiring the use of truncheons and handcuffs”, writes CM.
For reasons unknown, seven of the 10 ‘pupils’ ended up being beaten with truncheons, with no superior officer making any attempt to stop the attacks.
The seven injured recruits then presented formal complaints, which “originated in disciplinary proceedings”.
The paper adds that the PSP has refused to comment on this story, even though criminal complaints over the attacks have been lodged through the court system.
