"To give a good response to the citizen". These were the key words heard during the visit of the Mayor, Mário Passos, to the Territorial Station of Vila Nova de Famalicão of the Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR), that took place last Monday, August 8, where it was decided to go ahead with the creation of a rehabilitation project of the GNR station of Famalicão, conceived by the services of the City Hall and that will be presented to the Ministry of Internal Administration.
Mário Passos heard the infrastructural needs of the space, accompanied by the commander of the Braga Territorial Command, Lieutenant-colonel Joselino Ferreira, by the commander of the Barcelos Territorial Detachment, Captain André Coutada, by the commander of the Vila Nova de Famalicão Territorial Station, Chief-Sergeant Carlos Lima, and by the Councillor for Security and Civil Protection, Ricardo Mendes.
The infrastructural conditions of this station with more than 30 years, inserted in a building whose construction dates back to the 40's, are weak and have limited the retention of GNR professionals, who choose to move to stations with better logistical conditions, thus raising the need for a deep and urgent intervention in the space.
"We will continue to demand more and better conditions for our security forces, so that they can carry out their duties in decent conditions", said the Mayor, believing that the rehabilitation of the station is urgent and "the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs".
The mayor also stresses that the City Hall is "available for the preparation of the rehabilitation project of the station", however, he adds that "we will try to work together with the Ministry, in order to move forward with the rehabilitation of this station, as soon as possible". "We are talking about a proximity service of great importance for the safety and well-being of the people of Famalicão", he adds.
It should be noted that the building where the GNR station of Vila Nova de Famalicão is installed was built in the 40's, having as its first function the district jail between 1947 and 1972. Later, between 1975 and 1984, it was used as a secondary school institution. On November 10th 1989, it was inaugurated as a GNR barracks, period in which it suffered the last deep intervention in the building. Over the past three decades, it has undergone minor infrastructural interventions, insufficient to meet the functional needs and the continuous demands of the activity.