As mentioned at the end of our last article, the second part of the topic we set out to address, aims to publicize the only initiative known in Portugal and which can be identified as a “Neighborhood Surveillance” Program implemented by the Security Forces (FS).
Rogério COPETO
Colonel of the GNR
Master in Law and Security and Homeland Security Auditor
The Program we refer to was implemented in 2012 by the National Republican Guard (GNR) and it is called Interlocutor Security Location (ILS), which was created taking into account all the good practices and international initiatives referred to in last week's article, with the aim of promoting proximity policing, aimed at the everyday practice of attitudes conducive to active citizenship, increasing the quality of police action by deepening community relations and fostering interaction with the community.
ILS believes in the importance of the role of citizens, for this purpose, lessons learned from the best good practices of international “Neighborhood Watch” Programs were collected, This type of programs can be summarized, as a group of citizens, trained in security matters, dedicated to crime prevention, delinquency and vandalism in the area of your residence, that can not even be a neighborhood, reporting suspicious incidents to FS, however, they are warned never to intervene in suspicious situations, should always contact the authorities.
The ILS was implemented in two phases, the first having gone through identification within local communities, of potential citizens with recognition among the population and in the second phase, these people were trained, who was called “local security interlocutor”.
The “local security interlocutor” is therefore a citizen recognized in the local community, functioning as a privileged link between the community and the FS, presenting itself as a fundamental instrument in proximity and establishing relationships of trust between the population and the SF, contributing to the improvement of service.
The role of “local security interlocutor” must be performed by someone who knows the FS and has skills and experience in relations with the community, able to promote intervention and community involvement. Yet this function should be exercised by propertied people of influence and recognition within the community, capable of creating interaction dynamics between communities and FS.
All the training work for “local security interlocutors” was carried out at the end of the year 2012, having been formed about 1.700 “local security interlocutors”, who from that moment on were perfectly capable of guaranteeing the objectives of the ILS Program, verifying that its overwhelming majority was made up of, Presidents of City Council and Parish Council, Municipal councilors, Parish priests, Presidents or Commanders of Fire Departments, Technique(the)s de IPSS, Technique(the)s das CPCJ, Presidents of School Groups, Representatives of Parents' Associations, Representatives of Traders Associations, Representatives of Health Centers, SCM representatives among others.
At the time, several media outlets echoed the implementation of the ILS Program, An example of this is the article in the DN of 6 January 2013, with the title "GNR interlocutors way to be connecting with people"Or the report of RTP, of 7 January, "GNR trains to 1700 “partners” civilians to serve as a link".
Other news also reported on the work carried out within the scope of the ILS Program, in Viseu it was possible to signal a citizen in danger through a “local security interlocutor”, which signaled the existence of an individual who was housed, Numas ruins, in the municipality of Lamego, it having been reported by JN with the title "GNR detected man at home in ruins just ate fruit for five months".
In an internet search it is possible to find several initiatives within the scope of the ILS Program, for example the two seminars called “GNR teaches how to prevent robberies, thefts and frauds in the Municipality of Benavente” carried out in November 2012, by the Commander of the GNR Territorial Detachment of Coruche, About the subject "Simple things that help protect us from crime” and which were attended by “local security interlocutors”, meanwhile trained in the Municipality of Benavente, which states that “The objective of the GNR and local interlocutors is to raise awareness of the reduction of behaviors that facilitate the commission of crimes against people and property, encourage the reporting of situations that raise suspicions with the authorities and bring citizens closer to the GNR military”.
Another reference to the ILS Program is made by TVI24 on the day 8 January 2013 in the piece titled “We are not training people to report", where it is stated that “the 'Local Security Interlocutor' program is aimed at people belonging to institutions with local responsibilities, who have skills and experience in serving the public or who interact with the population and are capable of facilitating interaction between the GNR and the community”.
Presume that you-are near 1.700 “Local safety interlocutors” continue to contribute their knowledge and free time to help make their community safer, making the connection between the community and the FS, verifying that the excellent results obtained within the scope of the “Safe School” and “Elderly in Safety” programs will have greatly benefited from the work carried out by the “local security interlocutors”, It said developed countries are recognized and appreciated.
We remind you that “Neighborhood Watch” programs work through networks of “vigilant neighbors”, whose effectiveness may vary depending on the community and its implementation, but, generally, contribute to making “neighborhoods” safer and more united, whose main advantage is its deterrent power, taking into account that the presence of a network of “vigilant neighbors”, deters criminals and reduces the occurrence of crimes in the “neighborhood”.
Another advantage is a faster response, because “vigilant neighbors” can act promptly when reporting suspicious activity to FS or other community members, strengthening the sense of community, where participation in “Neighborhood Watch” Programs contributes to the promotion of neighborhood relations and helps to build stronger bonds between neighbors.
Reducing security costs, is another advantage, since as security improves, there may be less need for individual spending on more expensive security systems.
“Neighborhood Watch” also contributes to improving the quality of life, because the feeling of security provided by this type of programs can increase the quality of life of residents, allowing you to increase your feeling of security.
Participation in these “Neighborhood Watch” Programs can also increase residents’ awareness of safety issues and promote safer practices, and closer communication can also be established between residents and the FS, facilitating the resolution of insecurity problems.
We end by mentioning that any FS whose mission is to reduce crime and increase the feeling of security of the populations it serves and which strives for the quality of the service provided to civil society, in your daily activities, basing its activity on continuous proximity policing, which will be more effective the greater the FS capacity to establish partnerships with the community, wrapping it in their own safety, will necessarily have, as a strategic objective, the implementation of “Neighborhood Watch” Programs.
