Opinion (Rogério COPETO / Official GNR): A REMARKABLE SUCCESS STORY.
Begins today day 1 March, for the 7th consecutive year, "Operation Census Senior", which is constituted as the greatest example of social responsibility of GNR, in activities that GNR develops the so-called "Policing Proximity".
Rogério COPETO
Lieutenant Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
Head of the Education Division / Command Doctrine and Training
In a Google search the words "Senior Census" (with quotes) they are returned 4.010 results (possibly by the time you read these lines this number has increased), which includes hundreds of news, other so many the Media (OCS), which refer to the "Operation Census Senior" GNR, with the last articles, of January this year, They are on account of low temperatures, when GNR reinforced policing among the isolated elderly, identified in the "Operation Census Senior", as exemplified by the TSF part of 16 January with the title "Military GNR reinforce surveillance to isolated elderly". In hundreds of articles and pieces spread by OCS is possible to know the work dos militares when GNR, developing under the "Operation Census Senior", that goes far beyond what is required of them and that only the great humanity of all involved military makes this operation a success year after year.
So it is not surprising that "Operation Senior Census" has been considered a good national practice, as recognized in study commissioned by the Economic and Social Council (THESE) entitled "The Population Aging: Dependence, Activation and Quality"And written by the Center for Studies of Peoples and Cultures of Portuguese Expression, the Faculty of Humanities, the Portuguese Catholic University. It is also a good European practice, being an integral part dthe "Senior Safety Project" (Senior Project Security Industry) GNR and that was considered good practice in "Best Practice Conference and the European Crime Prevention Award", the European Crime Prevention Network (European Crime Prevention Network).
The political spectrum can find several references to "Operation Census Senior" in various documents drawn up in Parliament (WITH), different hairs parties, being an example the question about "Census Contributor 2015"And got the following answer. The last existing reference in the document database of RA, and possibly one of the most important to "Operation Census Senior", is that which is made in RESOLUTION No. /2016 of 7 July 2016 AR called "public campaign to publicize the solidarity supplement for the elderly"Where it is stated that"...there are the data resulting from the Census Senior GNR, that can be used for such a campaign ... Basing this operation in direct contact with the elderly by security forces, it is also an excellent opportunity to promote the CSI to many seniors who are likely to benefit from it". Recommending the AR that the Government "the campaign should establish a protocol of cooperation with the National Guard, so that the next operation 'Senior Census' may arise also as a vehicle for dissemination of this provision".
The public campaign to publicize the CSI was well held by GNR, as several OCS gave eco, such as in the RTP, in part 30 October with the title "Government and GNR will inform pensioners about access to the solidarity supplement"Or Observer 9 from November "Government presents publicity campaign of the solidarity supplement for the elderly", where it is stated that "the campaign also uses the security forces, nome adam ente a GNR, which may have an important role among the isolated elderly, and other services frequented by seniors "
Even in the political sphere is a reference to "Operation Census Senior" in Protocol formalized in 1 December 2012, between the Ministries of Solidarity and Social Security and Internal Affairs, with the aim of "... Risk prevention, inherent isolation and loneliness, increased quality of life of older people and the sense of security of the same ".
Of the more than 4 thousand references that can be found on the Internet there are many that are included in documents from various organisms, such as "interim report on implementation of the Fifth National Plan for Prevention and Combating Domestic Violence and Gender - 2015"Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG) or the Homeland Security Annual Report (Perhaps).
Also municipalities include "Operation Census Senior" in several of its documents, example being the action plans of the various Local Councils for Social Action (CLAS), Social Network, as is the case of Municipality of Almeida or Municipality of Povoa do Varzim or Municipality of Arganil, just to give three examples.
are still references in scientific research, such as master's theses or doctoral, such as research work applied with the title "The National Guard in Support of the Elderly in the municipality of São Brás de Alportel"Drawn up under the Master in Military Sciences - Specialty given security at the Military Academy or the so-called work"Support for older people by security forces: GNR - Ourém", prepared by a student of the Master in Intervention for Active Ageing, taught at the School of Education and Social Sciences School of Health Sciences, the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria or master thesis with the title "Ties of The Age - Aging and time occupation in Celorico de Basto"Drawn up under the Master in Sociology – Specialisation in Development and Social Policies, the Institute of Social Sciences, the University of Minho.
Also within the scope of the studies, it should be noted that the Ministry of Health included "Operation Census Senior" research "Aging and Violence"Authored by the National Institute of Health - Dr. Ricardo Jorge, which includes the participation of GNR, and that was publicly presented at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation on 25 February 2014. And speaking at conferences and seminars are several lectures where "Operation Senior Census" was made known, as is the case of "II meeting of researchers in the Aging"Held in 2012 under "European Year of Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations".
From the foregoing "Operation Census Contributor"Lives up to its motto of GNR, "Human, Next and Trust ", and Exemplo de responsabilidade social, visibility and proximity, to combat isolation and loneliness of the elderly population, It is a notable success, to be unanimously considered by all areas of Portuguese civil society: politics; academics; social; medical; media and; securitarian, as an initiative that deserves to be studied, used and replicated.
