Margarido Blasco appointed Luís Carrilho to head the PSP, after dismissing José Barros Correia.
Superintendent Luís Miguel Ribeiro Carrilho was appointed this Monday by the Minister of Internal Administration to head the PSP, replacing chief superintendent José Barros Correia who had been appointed since September last year. A less than peaceful change of chair with the dismissed national director saying that he never made the position available and that the decision was the “sole initiative” of the minister.
Luís Carrilho’s rise to the highest management position in the PSP is a natural process, after a national and international journey that distinguishes him as one of the most experienced and competent police officers. Several countries have already decorated him in recognition of his contribution to peace in the world, with emphasis on the praise given by the United Nations, the State of Timor-Leste and the government of Spain, among others.
It was precisely in 2001, in Timor, that Luís Carrilho gained attention by performing his role as spokesperson for the United Nations when the country went to the polls for the first time in a free and direct way to elect its first democratic Government. The peaceful and orderly way in which everything took place was also due to Luís Carrilho, who maintained a relationship with media professionals from all over the world that left its mark.
There were several risky missions in countries with political instability, highlighting the several years in which he was in the service of the UN. Luís Carrilho will certainly be the Portuguese police officer with the most extensive international experience.
The superintendent held, until now, the position of Commander of the Special Police Unit (UEP).
In a statement, the Ministry of Internal Administration states that “this appointment decision comes within the scope of the operational restructuring of the PSP, both at national level and in terms of institutional and international representation of this public security force”.
Although Luís Carrilho’s competence and capabilities cannot be called into question, the truth is that this change comes about in a less than peaceful way.
The dismissed national director, in a message sent to the entire PSP staff, wrote: “Today, at 6:45 pm, Mrs. Minister of Internal Administration, judge advisor Margarida Blasco, announced my dismissal, this decision being her sole initiative”. The normal thing would be that, with the change of Government, José Barros Correia, 58 years old, appointed in September 2023, would make the position available. Apparently, that didn’t happen. With a very humanistic profile, coming from the social services of the PSP, where he was previously a director, José Barros Correia gives way to an operative, with in-depth knowledge of the reality of the PSP in Portugal and with a lot of international experience. Expectations are very high.
Union surprised
The president of the National Police Union (Sinapol) highlighted that the dismissal of the PSP national director was a surprise, at a time when the unions are awaiting a “serious proposal” from the Government to begin the negotiation process.
“It was a decision that took us by surprise. We were not expecting that at such a crucial moment for the Public Security Police that we are in, including this negotiating impasse”, he highlighted to the Lusa agency Armando Ferreira, pointing out that chief superintendent José Barros Correia has already said that the initiative for the dismissal it was “exclusively governmental”.
The head of Sinapol ruled out that this decision taken by the Minister of Internal Administration, Margarida Blasco, alters the ongoing negotiation process between the police forces and the Government.
