Azores with the highest reduction in crime in the country, according to 2025 RASI - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

The President of the Regional Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, attended today’s meeting of the High Council for Internal Security, where the 2025 Annual Internal Security Report (RASI) was presented, and took the opportunity to bring up some of the Region’s key priorities in this area for discussion.

Among the topics highlighted by the President was the situation at the Ponta Delgada Correctional Facility. In this regard, José Manuel Bolieiro defended the need to "move forward urgently with the construction of the new correctional facility" on the island of São Miguel, alongside the refurbishment of the existing building.

José Manuel Bolieiro also provided a broader reflection on the Azores’ position in the current international context.

The President of the Regional Government emphasised the importance of the Region as an Atlantic border, drawing attention to the challenges but also to the opportunities arising from this.

“The Azores are today an Atlantic border of growing significance, which entails greater responsibility but also opportunities that we must seize,” he said.

Regarding security, he advocated for the increase of security forces’ resources and capabilities, focusing not only on expanding capacity but also on better management and use of existing resources, considering the Region’s specific characteristics.

“We have security forces that carry out high-quality work, which is fundamental to deterring criminal activity in the Region,” he emphasised.

According to data from the 2025 RASI, the Azores were the region of the country where overall crime dropped the most, with a reduction of 8.8%. Violent and serious crime also saw a significant decline of 11.7%.