Suspended 30 days for leaving vaccination center without authorization

A Sintra Municipal Police officer was the target of a 30-day suspension disciplinary sanction for having left the Monte Abraão vaccination center without authorization and before being surrendered on the spot. The sanction will be suspended for one year, during its execution, due to the agent’s living conditions and for not having a disciplinary record. The proposal was approved in a meeting of the autarchy with six votes in favor and five against.

The case dates back to January 30 of this year when the worker, who was scheduled to support the vaccination center between 7 am and 1 pm, left the space before the end of the shift, around 12.40 pm, disrespecting the order of the director of the Municipal Police and Inspection Department (DPF).

In his defence, the policeman, who “before or after” did not invoke reasons for the conduct adopted, alleged the lack of signature of the director of the DPF on the duty roster for that day, as well as the fact that, at the time, he had already being in a terminal phase of the vaccination program, with the center “practically empty”, but without success.

According to the proposal approved at a Chamber meeting on 6 December, the functions of supporting vaccination centers and the safety of people and goods were “necessarily committed to the recorded non-compliance”, with the shift in question being reduced to one element.

“From the instruction and the participation of the facts, it is clear that incidents had already occurred in the vaccination centers that even led to arrests, as well as the inherent difficulty in managing the service”, can be read in the document.

Since the agent in question has been a worker at the Chamber since February 2004, has no disciplinary record and depends exclusively on his salary for his basic monthly needs, the disciplinary sanction of suspension of 30 days ended up being suspended for one year.

“Simple censure of their behavior and the threat of disciplinary action (…) is sufficient to prevent future disciplinary offences,” the proposal concluded.