Internal Administration Minister welcomes audit of Judiciary Police

Monday, 10 August 2026AI summary

📍 Gouveia 🏛️ Government ⚖️ Legal #government-policy #public-safety #sef-integration

Internal Administration Minister welcomes audit of Judiciary Police — Photo: Diário de Notícias

Internal Administration Minister Luís Neves stated he is calm and eager for the audit of his leadership at the Judiciary Police (Polícia Judiciária or PJ) to be completed and made public. The audit was requested by Minister of Justice Rita Júdice, and Neves emphasized that all investigations into the institution are welcome.

Update: Government officials defend audit of Judiciary Police leadership

Government members, including the Minister of Internal Administration, have publicly defended the audit of Luís Neves' actions during his tenure as director of the PJ. Political analysts suggest the investigation aims to address concerns regarding his management style, which some critics have described as excessively informal.

Context & Explainers

Luís Neves will take office on Monday as Minister of Internal Administration. He graduated in law and has worked at the Judicial Police since 1995, where he served as coordinator of a national unit and developed a long career in criminal investigation.

The PJ (Polícia Judiciária) is Portugal's national criminal investigation police agency, founded in 1945. Operating under the Ministry of Justice and supervised by the Public Ministry (prosecutors), the PJ is a "higher criminal police body" specializing in serious and complex crimes. Mission: The PJ assists judicial and prosecuting authorities by investigating terrorism, organized crime, homicide, kidnapping, drug trafficking, corruption, cybercrime, financial crime, and money laundering. It conducts forensic examinations, operates Portugal's Interpol and Europol liaison offices, and maintains specialized units including the National Counterterrorism Unit and National Anti-Corruption Unit. Difference from PSP/GNR: While PSP (civilian urban police) and GNR (military rural police) focus on preventive policing, public order, and investigating minor crimes, the PJ exclusively handles serious crime investigation requiring specialized technical and scientific expertise. PSP and GNR report to the Ministry of Internal Affairs; PJ reports to the Ministry of Justice. PJ officers receive higher pay and prestige but face greater operational risk.