PSP vows strict action on police misconduct

The Public Security Police Force (PSP) has pledged to handle suspected misconduct within its ranks in accordance with the law, following revelations in the latest report by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) regarding alleged fraud and forgery involving several PSP officers.

According to a statement issued by the bureau, it had independently identified irregularities in attendance records in early 2023 and promptly launched a criminal investigation.

The findings were forwarded to the Public Prosecutions Office, and parallel disciplinary procedures were initiated.

In its 2024 report released Wednesday, the CCAC has revealed several cases of civil servants falsifying attendance records.

One case involved a PSP officer who, between 2018 and 2023, repeatedly left his post and exited Macau during working hours.

To conceal his absences, he enlisted the help of colleagues to falsify clock-in records. Exploiting loopholes in duty rosters that lacked mandatory sign-in documents, the officer caused payroll errors, leading to government financial losses.

In response, the PSP said it has carried out a thorough review of internal procedures, strengthened its supervision mechanisms, and addressed systemic loopholes to prevent future violations.

The bureau also directed its subordinate units to enhance oversight and remind all officers of their duty to act lawfully, honestly, and with integrity.

In another case, two Financial Services Bureau employees with a supervisor-subordinate relationship agreed to clock in for each other between October 2022 and August 2023.

By exploiting weaknesses in the dual fingerprint-card attendance system, they created false records and fraudulently claimed over MOP14,000 in overtime pay. LV