SSP receives more than 700 weapons; delegates join in.
A report released by the Civil Police Union (Sinpol) indicates that 730 firearms were surrendered by 18 PM on Monday, March 16th, in addition to a significant quantity of ammunition and other work-related items belonging to the Civil Police officers who have been on strike since February 25th; the strike was joined this afternoon by two delegates, who also surrendered their weapons and ammunition.
Tocantins 247 - A report released by the Civil Police Union (Sinpol) indicates that 730 firearms were handed over by 18 PM on Monday, March 16th, in addition to a significant quantity of ammunition and other work-related items belonging to the Civil Police officers who have been on strike since February 25th. The handover took place at the headquarters of the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) in Palmas.
According to the president of Sinpol, Moisemar Marinho, in addition to officers from the capital, civil police officers from the interior also returned their work equipment. "We would like to clarify once again to the public that the order to hand over the weapons was an intimidating act by the state government, which mandated, through an ordinance, that the police officers surrender their weapons," he said.
The order referred to by the union president was published on Friday the 13th in the State Official Gazette, signed by the heads of the SSP (Public Security Secretariat) and Social Defense. According to the document, the officers must hand over their weapons under penalty of being prosecuted for embezzlement and forming a criminal gang. In a statement, the strike committee asked for the public's understanding and listed the reasons that led to the decision.
Delegates
The strike this afternoon saw the participation of police chiefs, who also handed in their weapons and ammunition. According to Marinho, the police chiefs' participation signifies support for "the just demands of the category." "We want the government to comply with the law. And the participation of the police chiefs honors us greatly, because the Civil Police is one entity, made up of all categories."
The handover of weapons began in the morning and continued until late afternoon. According to Moisemar Marinho, other officers are expected to do the same in the coming days. "The officers responded to the call, fulfilling what the State mandated. Now, we expect the State to reciprocate, to sit down with us and negotiate to end the impasse it created, simply by annulling a law through a decree," he stated.
Greve
Police officers went on strike after Governor Marcelo Miranda (PMDB) suspended, by decree, the financial effects of Law 2.851 of 2014. This legislation aligned the career paths of public servants. The alignment was promoted by Marcelo Miranda in 2007, during his penultimate term. However, the regulation only came into effect in April 2014, with financial effects phased in four installments starting in 2015. This year's installment corresponds to only 1% of the state's payroll, according to Sinpol (the police union).
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