In statements to Lusa, the parish council president, Patrícia Rapazote, said that, despite having increased, the number of PSP officers "is not enough" to guarantee policing in the streets.

"More officers are needed," she argued, saying that she frequently receives complaints from residents and business owners about the "continuous wave of assaults."

"They steal everything they find along the way," she said.

In Ramalde, which, according to the 2021 Census, is the second most populous parish in the municipality of Porto, there used to be three PSP stations (Pinheiro Manso, João de Deus and Francos), but currently there is only one, the Viso Station.

"We have almost 39,000 inhabitants, we have three metro stations, we have four school groups and a huge industrial area. The floating population is huge and almost doubles the resident population. At the moment, we have one station, which is not fully staffed, and one patrol car that is not yet 24 hours a day," she explained.

Faced with the "wave of assaults," Patrícia Rapazote stressed the need to open "more stations," especially in the Pinheiro Manso area, where several residents have come together to create an association and alert public entities, such as the Porto City Council and the Ministry of Internal Administration, to the increase in crime.

Speaking to Lusa, the mayor said that the council has been promoting the cleaning of public roads, reinforcing lighting and fencing off abandoned houses, which were mostly occupied by drug addicts, although such measures are not enough to ensure the safety of the population.

"The important thing is to give dignity and a sense of security to everyone," she noted, stressing that, through the creation of the association, residents now have "a more active voice and representation."

In addition to reinforcing the PSP's staff and stations, Patrícia Rapazote stressed the importance of the video surveillance system, which has been operating in the city since June 2023, being extended to Ramalde.

"It would be very important, not as a substitute for the PSP, but as a useful tool and aid for professionals," she noted, saying that the system could also deter crime.

On Wednesday, in statements to Lusa, João Pedro Mortágua, a resident in the Pinheiro Manso area since 2009, said that for about a month now, the assaults, carried out "mainly by drug addicts," have been daily.

"They are so disoriented that any object they steal gives them another five euros to consume drugs," he said.

In addition to robbing cars, they also steal manhole covers, gutter grates, tiles and zinc plates, as happened to one of João's neighbors.

Allegedly, these objects and materials are later sold to a scrap dealer who is located near that parish.

"There is not a day that goes by without an assault," the resident noted, adding that "the level of social degradation, violence and insecurity is immense."

In October 2023, the Porto Metropolitan Command of the PSP announced that violent and serious crime in that area of Porto had increased compared to 2022, as well as the number of arrests related to drug trafficking.

However, overall reported crime decreased, with 358 crimes reported in 2022 and 323 in 2023.

Read Also: Two arrested in the act for assaulting residences in Vila Real (Portuguese version)