Security, freedom, and local communities: a future to build

In an increasingly abstract and heterogeneous world, security stands out as one of the main pillars of human freedom. The growing number of people occupying the same territory, combined with a dominant feeling of detachment from the Central State, generates a sense of alienation and insecurity among citizens that has been widely discussed in public opinion. Locally, the weakening of community spirit is the most natural consequence of this phenomenon. Despite the active efforts of national security forces - police authorities, Civil Protection, and the Army - to ensure safety, local municipalities are essential to achieving this goal without undermining each citizen's sense of belonging to their community. Although they have various tools at their disposal to promote the safety of their residents, such as facilitating cooperation among existing authorities and investing in the refurbishment of police facilities, municipalities can only pursue this goal if they have more resources to protect themselves. Investing in the security institutions closest to residents is, therefore, the most appropriate solution to this problem. This is exemplified by Municipal Police, for which some responsibilities of national security forces should be decentralised. Although still in its infancy, this measure offers numerous advantages. With more responsibilities, police officers would be less tied to administrative tasks, allowing them to be a more regular presence on the streets of each municipality. In turn, security technology would gain a firmer purpose, enabling immediate police action in response to incidents rather than merely signalling them for national authorities' action. The feeling of security is neither a myth nor superficial; it is a demand of an increasingly abstract political world, where local municipalities have a fundamental role to play. For instance, Cascais has been fulfilling this goal by training 115 officers, opening a competition for 100 new positions in the Municipal Police, acquiring 50 new vehicles, and installing 168 surveillance cameras, with plans to increase this number to 440 in the coming years. However, to truly ensure citizens' safety, a coherent legal framework is essential to grant more powers to Municipal Police. In a safer municipality, family comfort increases, community spirit thrives; national and international businesses are attracted, generating more jobs for residents, while tourism flourishes; and, finally, doors open to the construction of active cultural communities, where citizens act in solidarity with one another. Where there is security, there is freedom; and it is up to municipalities to be its guarantors.