The Regional Government considers it is essential to reinforce public security forces in the archipelago, as emphasised by the Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs at the Legislative Assembly in Horta.
 
Berto Messias spoke at a debate on the current situation of public security forces in the Azores, noting that this a "matter of paramount importance." On the occasion, he praised the members of public security forces in the Region, pointing out "their professional dedication to ensure the stability and security of populations."
 
The government rejected the idea that "insecurity is allegedly growing" in the archipelago, ensuring that "the Azores are a safe region, the safest in the country."
 
Mentioning specifically the commitments made by the Minister of Internal Affairs during his visit to the Region in April, Berto Messias stressed that "we expect that he fulfils the commitment to reinforce security forces in the Azores with another 40 members, following the completion of the training course of the Police Training School."
 
Still, this number "will not be sufficient, taking into consideration the current estimates, the ratio between the new personnel and police agents going into retirement, mobility-related issues or the increase of tourism flows in the Region," added the Regional Secretary.
 
"According to the information available, it would be important to increase the number of police agents to more than two hundred in a medium-term perspective," said Berto Messias.
 
The Regional Secretary also stressed the importance of "fulfilling the commitment to promote a campaign aimed at disseminating the training provided by PSP (Public Security Police), a campaign that has yet to be carried out."
 
Berto Messias recalled that the Regional Government "has always came forward when it was necessary by creating mechanisms to endow the security forces with equipment, when this is not one of its responsibilities but rather an obligation of the Portuguese State." In this regard, he recalled that the measures implemented by the Regional Government have already provided security with "new vehicles and new equipment amounting to two million Euros." Besides, in in this context of cooperation, the Azores also came forward in a process to support the improvement of infrastructures, an investment of about 500 thousand Euros."