PSP constantly watches drivers’ entrances in Porto and Lisbon

PSP and GNR have almost all the staff on the street. After the new measures announced yesterday by the Government, the traffic divisions of the PSP will start to watch the entry of motorists in Porto and Lisbon, in order to find out if they have valid reason to circulate, JN learned. In addition, almost all law enforcement officers are on 12-hour shifts.

In recent days, agents and military personnel have also been given specific information on behaviors and procedures that minimize the risk of contagion. At PSP, the provision of work was reorganized. For example, when shifts are surrendered, agents do not cross paths at the facility.

The entire device was made aware of the need to comply with the same rules recommended to the population, such as avoiding compliance and respecting respiratory etiquette measures.

The agents can use, whenever justified, the individual protection equipment, but only after previous communication and validation of the hierarchy.

The PSP is committed to raising awareness, but stresses that, with the declaration of a state of emergency, citizens can be detained in case of disobedience.

For the protection of agents, the National Directorate of PSP points out that 15 thousand individual protection kits (mask, surgical gloves and instructions for use) have already been distributed and “disinfectant solution is widely available”. A further 10,000 kits and 5,000 surgical glasses are expected to be delivered.

Up to the day before yesterday, there were 60 agents in quarantine or under medical surveillance throughout the country. Yesterday, the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in a PSP member of the Sintra fleet. At GNR, on Tuesday, the infection of a guard from Santa Maria da Feira was confirmed.

“Readiness” regime

Preventive measures against Covid-19 also forced the GNR to adopt measures, starting with the redefinition of scales and reduction of the number of service stations. According to information collected by the JN, only half of the workforce is going to the facilities daily.

Each military man works seven days in a row, with 12-hour shifts, ensuring service and avoiding unnecessary contacts between them.

The remaining elements of each post stay at home, but are always preventive, at two levels of readiness. In the first, they have less than an hour to report to the service; the rest are only called in cases of extreme need.

With half the staff on the ground, each post will always have the remaining elements available to work immediately.

Public service is also conditioned. Only one person enters the posts at a time. And those looking for GNR for non-urgent services are encouraged to use electronic means.

Contacted by JN, César Nogueira, president of the Guarda Professionals Association, says they are appropriate measures. “It is logical to avoid unnecessary contacts between the military and it seems to us that this is a good measure to preserve the elements”.

However, the union leader says that further adjustments are needed. “There are some posts that have not yet managed to implement the measures because they do not have enough staff,” he explained.