PSP police reinforcements for the Algarve will be stepped up as from this month, with more than 300 officers, twice as many as last year, being deployed to the region.
The officers from the Special Police Units (Unidades Especiais da Polícia – UEP) will assure the safety and security of citizens in the Algarve from July 14 to September 30 and will be operating in Lagos and Portimão, popular holiday destinations. The UEP team will be joining the 90 rapid intervention officers based at Faro’s PSP headquarters.
The presence of PSP officers on bicycles will also be bolstered in Vila Real de Santo António, Tavira, Olhão, Portimão, Lagos and Faro Airport.
Other popular tourist destinations in the region such as Albufeira, Vilamoura and Quarteira, which fall under the remit of the GNR, are already being patrolled by an additional 30 officers from the Lisbon based GNR Intervention Unit, cycle patrols, police dog teams and a large number of training officers from the 556 currently attending the GNR School, who are gaining experience in the region and thus help to increase police visibility.
Reinforcements during the Faro Bikers Meeting, taking place from July 19 to 22, and other summer festivals are also being stepped up, said a spokesman from the GNR.
Minister of Home Affairs Miguel Macedo said both the PSP and GNR forces had previously met with several entities in the region to discuss summer safety and thus ensure the effectiveness of proximity policing.
Don’t lose your child
Meanwhile, the PSP police announced that it would be distributing 5,000 child identification bracelets to help them locate a lost child, a common occurrence particularly during the holiday season.
The initiative is part of the Estou Aqui (I’m Here) campaign launched last week and is aimed particularly at children aged between two and five.
Parents can collect the bracelets, which are free, from PSP stations throughout the country after requesting them online via a website created for the Estou Aqui campaign – https://estouaqui.mai.gov.pt/Pages/default.aspx
