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The unions of the PSP denounce the violation of the criterion of equality by privileges granted to women and elements of social minorities. The Ministry of the Interior clarifies that the bidding rules are maintained, but communication with specific target groups will be strengthened
The order of the Minister of Internal Administration, Eduardo Cabrita, to authorize the recruitment of 803 police officers and the opening of a reserve to recruit another 1,200 officers over the next year is generating controversy. This is because the document published this Friday in the Diário da República gives guidelines for the admission of women and elements of places where the PSP is in charge of security. It also says that candidates should be privileged “representative of the diversity of social and cultural contexts in which the PSP operates.”
These indications were immediately criticized by the PSP unions, who claim that the criterion of equal access to the profession is being violated. However, the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) has already explained that the rules of the admission exam to the Police remain unchanged and that the Government order only promotes an intensification of communication with the identified target audiences.
SIAP wants the order to be inspected in the Constitutional Court
The order signed by Eduardo Cabrita determines the “immediate opening of a new recruitment reserve, with the objective of admitting 1,200 candidates to courses from 2021” and defines, as general guidelines, that “the hiring of 14% female candidates “. 2020 at 20% “. It also reads that it must” privilege the recruitment of candidates from areas within the territorial jurisdiction of the PSP and that are adequately representative of the diversity of social and cultural contexts in which the PSP operates. “
In view of these guidelines, the Independent Union of Police Officers (SIAP) understood that the principle of equality “of access to the profession is at stake” and sent a letter to all parliamentary groups demanding that the order be “analyzed, from the point of view of constitutional vision, by the respective Parliamentary Commission of Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees and, possibly, by the Constitutional Court “. “We will also send this order to the Ombudsman’s Office for an analysis of the situation,” reveals the SIAP.
To the JN, the National Police Union (SINAPOL) similarly affirms that “there can be no discriminatory factors” and that “all Portuguese citizens are free to apply for the PSP and, if they are determined, to enter the institution.” “It does not matter their political, religious, sexual orientation or their origin,” says trade unionist Armando Ferreira.
MAI wants a more diverse police force
After the criticism, the MAI issued a statement explaining that the bases of the PSP admission contest remain the same and that there will be no quotas for women or candidates who come from localities with a police station or belong to social minorities.
“In the new recruitment pool for 2021, the PSP must seek to reinforce the current communication strategies, whether regular, but especially specific in the context of the opening of competitions, in order to promote the participation of candidates. Currently, 8% of the staff in the agent category is made up of women. In the recruitment of 2020, the feminization rate was around 14% and it should be the goal of the PSP to reach, at this level, 20% in the admissions to be made in 2021 ”, emphasizes MAI. .
According to the guardianship, the “PSP must also reinforce current communication strategies” in order to promote the participation of candidates from areas of its territorial jurisdiction and that are adequately representative of the diversity of social and cultural contexts in which this security force it works ”. In other words, the objective is to attract the Police to elements that identify and integrate different strata of Portuguese society, in order to make the PSP an increasingly diversified security force.
Unions want corrected diploma
“The order is exhaustive and does not speak of communication strategies. The order clearly violates article 13 of the Constitution, which speaks of the principle of equality,” counters Rui Neves, vice president of SIAP, a union that already has a lawyer. review the document. “If it is only about communication strategies, the minister must immediately revoke the order and correct it,” adds Armando Ferreira, president of SINAPOL.
Both unions warn of other issues. “It is not by opening many vacancies that will be filled. The police profession will have to be made attractive. We remember that, in the last competition, of the thousand vacant positions, only 793 candidates were approved, ”says SIAP. “SINAPOL continues to wait for the minister to dispatch promotions for 2020,” adds Armando Ferreira.
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