More than a third of complaints by security forces were related to physical offences

The General Inspectorate of Internal Administration (IGAI) received 860 complaints against the actions of the security forces in 2018, the highest figure of the last seven years, according to data from the agency sent to the agency Lusa.

The PSP is the security force with the largest number of complaints, with 477 entries against the actions of PSP agents in 2018, followed by the GNR with 270, the Foreigners and Borders Service , with 36, and other entities supervised by the Ministry of Internal Administration (25).

The number of complaints filed in that body that supervises the police action increased by 11.3% in 2018 compared to the previous year (an additional 88).

According to data provided to Lusa, the IGAI received 5,437 complaints in seven years. In 2012, there were 817 complaints, which rose to 830 in 2013 and dropped to 711 in 2014.

In the following year they rose again to 717, in 2016 they increased to 730, rising again in 2017 to 772 and last year they again increased to 860.

The denunciations that came to the attention of the IGAI in 2018 essentially through complaints filed by judicial bodies (431), citizens (213) and anonymous (116).

According to the IGAI, more than a third of the complaints of security forces were related to physical offenses, with a total of 255, of which 172 were addressed to elements of the PSP and 73 to the GNR military.

The violation of general duties related to incorrect procedures or behaviours practiced by police motivated 175 participations (20.3%) of the IGAI last year, and there are also 251 complaints that include the category of domestic violence.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) has also registered 52 complaints of matters of an internal or professional nature, 44 of abuse of authority, 66 of violations of special duties related to illegalities and omissions, six for discriminatory practices, three for illegal detention and two for death, with no details on these cases.

PSP leads all types of complaints, except for matters of an internal or professional nature, which was the GNR.

During the past year, that body protected by the MAI processed 1,483 complaints against police, 623 of which transited from 2017 and 860 were filed in 2018.

Of the 1,483 complaints analysed, the IGAI concluded 874, having filed 609 cases for this year, converted to disciplinary proceedings four and filed 765 for lack of infringement or evidence, and 609 disciplinary proceedings are ongoing in the security forces and services and institutions.

IGAI’s mission is to ensure the audit, inspection and inspection functions of all the entities, services and bodies covered by the MAI.