Siege. Porto City Council hires private security

The Porto City Council has hired private security for the Cerco neighborhood as part of a pilot project aimed at enhancing safety for residents during nighttime hours. The contract, valued at €52,865.71, was awarded to Proteção Total — Segurança Privada — S.A. The initiative will run from 8 PM to 8 AM, including weekends and holidays, and is designed to cover the area with the highest number of municipal residents. The project will begin in November and will be evaluated in collaboration with the University of Porto's School of Criminology and local authorities. Security personnel will be identifiable and will conduct regular patrols to improve residents' confidence in communal spaces.