Police(s) in Portugal

Guarda Nacional Republicana, Soldiers

I seem to have a vague memory of more types of armed police in Portugal than currently. But even so we are exceptionally well served:


Ministry of Justice:

• Polícia Judiciária (2532) - Criminal investigation
• Corpo da Guarda Prisional (4000), the prison guards

Ministry of Internal Administration:

• Polícia de Segurança Pública (around 23000, they were 21000 and got mandate for 2000 more) - PSP, Public security police, works in big urban areas as generalized police force
• Polícias municipais (around 1000), Municipal Police, some detached from PSP, exists in larger cities 
• Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (802 or 1478) - Border control police

Ministry of Defense:

• Guarda Nacional Republicana (25903) - The Republican National Guard is a military force.  The "policemen" are called soliders. They police where PSP does not. The country side, national roads and coastal zones
• Polícia Marítima (513), Maritime Police belonging under the Navy. They police rivers, beaches and the coast
• Polícia do Exército, Polícia Aérea and Polícia Naval (number unknown), Military police of the Army, Airforce and Navy
• Polícia Judiciária Militar (number unknown), Military police for criminal investigation
  

Ministry of Economy and Innovation:

• Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica (213 or 510)- Police for Food Safety and Economy. They take care of investigating economic crimes and health hazards concerning the food sector.  (BTW.  I hope my sources are wrong.  Why should ASAE be armed police?)

Also included could be the secret service. But let us leave them out of it for now.

All in all there is a little bit less than an approximate 58000 police in Portugal (it is quite difficult to find current numbers - are they a secret?)  - excluding pure military police, i.e. police that does not interact with civilians. To compare with other countries that gives Portugal a ratio of less than 200 citizens per police person.

To this number of around 60000 comes a unknown number of civil servants working for/with the police.  Probably more than 10000.

The EU average ratio is 350 according to this source. However, check this, albeit older source indicating these numbers:

Sweden          328
Canada          358
United Kingdom  400
United States   459
Netherlands     553
Japan           556
Denmark         594
France          632
Finland         643
Norway          661

Update:  According to this EU Report, Portugal is the country in Europe (but for Cypres) with the most police (see page 89).  However, the number of police is stated to be "only" 51000.  I think my numbers are more correct.

May I suggest the following:

1. Let there be one police corps. One basic police education (in one location!) equivalent to a low level university education (3-4 years). Everybody wishing to join the police will start the same way.   Then there later will be specialization to traffic, criminal investigation, economic crimes, border control, military law etc.   This would give "esprit de corps" to all policemen - police with different areas of responsibility might even start to co-operate. It will also give a lot of career possibilities. It might even lead to less fat in the form of levels of managers and bureaucracy.
2. Abolish the Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica policemen. I am sure the bureaucrats can manage to inspect a restaurant or bakery all by themselves. If need be, they can ask for assistance. 
3. Abolish the Polícia Judiciária Militar, military police for criminal investigation. Surely this job can be taken over by the civilian police. They just have to study a few extra laws.
4. Join the Polícia do Exército, Polícia Aérea and Polícia Naval into one unified military police. Surely that is sufficient and more cost effective. But let them stay somewhat apart from the normal police. All should, nevertheless, complete the basic police education in addition to military education.
5. Consider whether the prison guards should be armed. If so they should be police. Otherwise disarm them and make them prison guards only with statute lower than police.
6. Abolish the Guarda Nacional Republicana. Military have no business policing civilians. It is a leftover from old dictatorial times!
7. Abolish the Polícias municipais
8. Move all the police to the justice department. Alternatively to the Ministry of Internal Affairs as the Ministry of Justice is maybe the least efficient ministry.

According to statistics of serious crime, Portugal is one of the safest countries in the OECD. Lower the number of police to at least the European average. That is at minimum 20000 police less. There be money to be saved here even if raising salaries a bit. Also, I expect the efficiency will be higher with a smaller police force.

BTW, many people in Portugal complain about the police and horrific stories are told. I have personally always found them polite, efficient and helpful.

Curiously, the Portuguese in spite of comparatively low levels of crime, are one of the people in the Western World that feel most insecure. It is common a front door of a dwelling be more related to a bank vault than a house. It will more often than not be reinforced by steel and have at least three locks. To insure that a smaller police force does not make the population pee in their collective pants I suggest an unarmed voluntary reserve police force based on the fantastic system of the voluntary firemen in Portugal. It will be nearly free and it would be a great help to combat petty crime - petty crime by youngsters is nearly always on the road to serious crime.


Update 17.11.2011
The Guarda Nacional Republicana does principally belong to the Ministry of Internal Administration (as a reader has corrected me - thanks) concerning civil matters (including policing).  But they are related to the Ministry of Defense in military matters, when considered soldiers.   See Wikipedia article.  I still do not feel comfortable with a police force based on a military organisation.  There is a strong connection with the officers of GNR and the armed forces as well.  This being said, the GNR seem very efficient and a unified police force could very well learn much from it.