José Coelho / Lusa
The maximum age to enter the PSP will increase from 30 to 34 years old, and to 39 years old in the case of Armed Forces employees and soldiers. Furthermore, there is no longer a mandatory minimum height.
These changes, which are already being seen as revolutionary, include one that alters admission requirements to the agent training course of the Public Security Police (PSP), and which was published this Thursday in the Official Gazette.
The new admission rules come into force this Friday.
Remain as requirements have Portuguese nationality and at least 18 years old of age.
Mass maximum age entry fee goes from 30 to 34 yearsor for the 39 years old “in the case of workers holding a legal public employment relationship for an indefinite period, in the form of an employment contract in public functions or appointment”, according to the ordinance.
Furthermore, Compulsory vaccination is no longer mandatory.
Also it will not be necessary to present a medical certificate For physical tests, a declaration signed by the candidate himself is sufficient.
Unions demand annulment of the ordinance
The Unions have already challenged the Government after the publication of the ordinance, considering that the diploma is illegal for not having been consulted.
The president of the National Police Union (Sinapol), Armando Ferreira, tells Lusa that he sent a letter to the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) so that annul the ordinance for collective bargaining to begin.
The president of Sinapol threatens to take legal action the document if the MAI does not annul the ordinance.
In a statement, the Independent Union of Police Officers (SIAP) also criticizes the Government for not listening to the unions, stressing that “non-compliance with the law shows the credibility of the change now introduced”.
For SIAP, the way to attract more people to join the PSP is through “review of pay tables“, “updating” and “improving the living conditions of professionals”.
“Stupefaction” with elimination of minimum height
SIAP also understands that the ordinance has “some serious inconsistencies” such as increasing the age limit for entering the PSP.
“A average age of police officers is already at a level that is too high”, SIAP further understands, pointing out that the changes defined by the Government are contrary to the “desired PSP rejuvenation“.
The union also expresses astonishment at the elimination of a minimum height entry, considering that “it conflicts with the requirements for competition for certain positions, such as in the Special Police Unit”.
Previously, admission rules required at least, 1,60 metros for women candidates and 1,65 metros for male candidates.
“Completely unreal” paragraphs
The statement, signed by President Carlos Torres, also highlights some items that “are in themselves completely unreal“.
According to the union, “the possibility of admission of convicted citizens by criminal sanctions, as long as, in the Government’s view, it does not inhibit the exercise of the function” and “it becomes possible to admit citizens with diminished civic and moral valuesas long as they do not conflict with the ethical and deontological principles of the police function”.
Government wants to attract more candidates to the PSP
In 2022, when new requirements to enter the PSP came into force, the maximum and minimum ages were also changed, increasing admission from 19 to 18 years of age (the minimum age) and from 27 to 30 (the maximum age).
At that time, it was also allowed for young people attending the 12th year of schooling can enter the training, which will continue to happen.
In the new ordinance, the Government justifies the changes with the intention of “allowing selection based on a wider pool of candidates“.
In recent years, there have been less and less PSP candidates.
Em 2024, only 2,800 young people competed to the course opened by the PSP to create a recruitment reserve for admission to the agent training course.
There were 178 fewer than in 2023, when 3,043 competed, and 640 fewer than in 2022 (3,505), 2,709 fewer than in 2021 (5,574) and 321 fewer than in 2020 (3,186).
