PSP clarified today that all anomalies reported by police officers about accommodation conditions in Armed Forces facilities during World Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon were “promptly resolved”.
In a statement, the national directorate of the Public Security Police says that photographs of alleged accommodation facilities of the Armed Forces that would be used by police officers mobilized for WYD, which began on Tuesday in Lisbon, have been circulated on social networks.
“A verification of the accommodation provided was determined, concluding that the photos in question do not correspond to any facility being used by the police officers mobilized for WYD. So far, and from what has been ascertained, all reported anomalies have been promptly resolved by our Armed Forces in each of the accommodations”, needs the PSP.
That security force also indicates that, “although it was done before the start of WYD, a review of the facilities was determined to identify situations that effectively require intervention and can eventually be corrected”.
The PSP explains that WYD is an event “of unprecedented size in the country that required the mobilization of a large number” of police.
“Given the limitations in the availability of police accommodation and the prohibitive rental prices practiced in Lisbon during WYD, the PSP requested, in particular in this matter, the support of the Armed Forces”, he stresses.
According to the PSP, the accommodation provided has a maximum cost of five euros per day, to be borne by the police officers who stay overnight, taking into account that they receive 100% of the value of the legally provided allowances.
According to the PSP, about 2,000 police officers from the various PSP commands in the country have been deployed to Lisbon to reinforce the Lisbon Metropolitan Command, joining the approximately 7,000 elements that are part of Cometlis.
The 2,000 PSP officers are housed in PSP housing and Armed Forces facilities.
On Monday, the National Police Union (Sinapol) also denounced some of the “deplorable conditions” in which PSP officers deployed in Lisbon for WYD are installed, speaking of hygiene and cleanliness failures.
“We have received some reports, including some images. We are still in the processing phase, identifying which sites do not have the ideal conditions, but they are strong images, in deplorable conditions and worthy of the third world that we will try to scrutinize and alert “, reported Sinapol leader Tiago Fernandes to journalists.
WYD is a meeting of young people from around the world with Pope Francis and runs until Sunday in Lisbon, where more than a million people are expected.
