Independent councillors Luís Filipe Santos and Jorge Afonso Freitas have criticized the announced delay in the implementation of the Funchal Municipal Police, now scheduled only for 2028. According to them, the project, which was intended to be a significant response for the city, appears to remain "largely on paper."
The councillors question the nature and competencies of the police force being created, noting it will not be a criminal investigation body and will need to call upon the PSP for certain incidents. They also express doubts about the capacity of a police force with such a late operational start date to address current issues like rent-a-car activities and public space occupation.
Santos and Freitas emphasize that the city's problems exist now, not in 2028. They call for transparency regarding costs, the number of officers, exact responsibilities, and the specific issues the new police will resolve, warning that, until then, the situation amounts to a "Municipal Police on paper and many unanswered questions."
