The Câmara de Terras do Bouro today guaranteed that “in no case” will do without the assistance of the security company hired to carry out the surveillance of the river beach of Alqueirão, whose service was considered “illegal practice” by the PSP.
Speaking to Lusa, the mayor of Terras do Bouro, in the Braga district, Manuel Tibo, confirmed that the inspection action on a river beach in Minho, made on July 30 and announced today in a statement by PSP, was in that Gerês beach and considered that the police force “should have more to worry about than measures aimed at combating COVID-19 and protecting the population”.
According to the two entities, since July 11, the surveillance on Alqueirão beach has been carried out by a private security company hired by the Terras do Bouro City Council, and, according to Manuel Tibo, that contract is valid until August 31. .
In its statement, the Public Security Police states that, “through the Department of Private Security, within the scope of its exclusive powers within the scope of the exercise of private security activity, as a licensing, regulation and inspection entity, detected on the day July 30, 2020 the illegal practice of services by a private security company on a river beach in the Minho region ”.
The PSP explains that “on the spot it was found that private security guards had the responsibility of watching the entire space of the river beach, controlled the capacity of the beach and, if necessary, promoted the call to the security forces”.
The text also states that the private company operates “without a contract for the provision of services, which is also mandatory by law”, whereby “the Private Security Department proceeded with the lifting of the criminal news report aimed at the municipality, the private security company and the two private security guards identified to be active on the spot, which has already been referred to the judicial authority ”.
Manuel Tibo confirmed to Lusa the car, saying that it originated “in a complaint”, but was against the police action: “Everyone knows that this is an unattended place but that receives thousands of people, this year even more”.
“Despite not belonging to the chamber and so that the problems with the pandemic do not become a pandemonium, within the scope of our obligations as Civil Protection, we decided to ensure the surveillance of the place”, he explained.
“What we did was to hire a company by simplified direct agreement that ensures that measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, such as stocking and social distance, are ensured, thus promoting the safety of those who chose Gerês to spend their holidays “, continued.
The mayor also stressed that “the increase in crime in the area is evident, as a result of the increase in people. If the GNR and police forces do not have the means to provide adequate protection for the area, the chamber cannot ignore this responsibility ”.
For this reason, he guaranteed, “the camera will not abdicate this surveillance and the company will operate until August 31 for the benefit of the population”.
PSP guarantees, in the said communiqué, that “it will remain attentive at national level to the services provided by companies and private security professionals, as well as the form of provision of each service”.
That police force also states that “the activity of private security, as a rule, cannot be freely exercised in the public space, but in private spaces or restricted access”.
“In addition, the provision of these services can only start after a written contract is drafted with a company holding a license and all forms of private security can only be exercised by professionals qualified and authorized by PSP”, reads.
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