GNR officer from Vizela receives suspended sentence after ignoring call from domestic violence victim
The sergeant who advised the wife of Vizela's council president to call 112 has been punished with five days' suspension, a sentence that is itself suspended for two years.
GNR from Vizela punishes sergeant with suspension for negligence in domestic violence call
The National Republican Guard (GNR) officer who, upon answering a call in the early hours, told the wife of Vizela's council president to contact 112 and the Fire Service when she reported assaults by her husband has been subject to disciplinary punishment of five days' suspension — the minimum provided for by law. The sentence, however, has been suspended for two years and will only be enforced if the officer is "again punished in a disciplinary process", according to the GNR Disciplinary Regulation (RDGNR), as revealed by Observador on the basis of the final report of the disciplinary proceedings.
Victor Hugo Salgado, president of Vizela Municipal Council, was accused this month of a domestic violence crime for events that occurred at the family residence on 27 February 2025. His wife required hospital assistance and filed a complaint with the PSP (Public Security Police) in Guimarães, reporting that she had been assaulted by her husband. However, her first contact was a telephone call to the GNR.
Two-minute call, no patrol sent
The final report of the disciplinary proceedings, to which Observador had access, confirms as proven that the sergeant from the Vizela Territorial Post who answered the call, which arrived at around 2:08 am, "told the complainant/victim to call 112 and the Fire Service and, after receiving hospital treatment, to come to the post to file a complaint". The call lasted two minutes.
The investigating officer of the proceedings concluded that the officer acted negligently "by not using all the means and capacities that are traditionally employed to respond in a correct and assertive manner to similar incidents". The report is explicit: "The defendant did not take steps to send a patrol to meet the victim, having exhausted his intervention in advising the victim to receive hospital treatment." It further adds that the officer "took no action, neither practical nor written, relating to the situation, other than recording the telephone call in the attendance report".
Internal investigations only began on 23 April 2025, nearly two months after the assaults, and the final report was completed in December 2025.
Officer maintained duties throughout proceedings
The GNR confirmed to Observador that the officer was sentenced "to a disciplinary suspension penalty of five days" and that throughout the entire disciplinary process, he "never had his duties suspended". He is currently assigned to the secretariat of the Vizela Territorial Post, maintaining the rank of sergeant. During the five days of suspension provided for in article 30 of the RDGNR, the officer would receive one-third of his salary — but the suspension of the sentence means that this sanction was never applied.
The wife of Victor Hugo Salgado gave evidence as a witness in the disciplinary process by telephone on 25 July 2025. According to the GNR, she confirmed that she had reported being a victim of domestic violence and that she was heading to the hospital, and that she was told to contact 112 and the Fire Service — information that, in her words, surprised her. She said she did not remember all the words of the call well, but confirmed the essential features of what she had communicated.
Remorse and acknowledged mitigating circumstances
In the officer's own questioning, he demonstrated remorse "for having apparently displayed negligent behaviour". His superior described him as "disciplined, loyal, conscientious and concerned with service". Since 2002 he has held the 1st Class of Conduct in the GNR, corresponding to exemplary performance. The investigating officer considered as mitigating factors his "good prior conduct", "the fact that he has commendations", "the favourable report from his superior" and "spontaneous admission of the fault".
The investigating officer concluded that the officer had breached, "through gross negligence, the duty of diligence", by not reporting a crime of mandatory reporting and by assuming that the complainant would go to the post after receiving hospital treatment.
Officer's lawyer criticises grounds for sanction
The defence of the officer, led by lawyers João Magalhães and Luís Correia, argued that the call was recorded in the attendance report; that the victim never indicated her location, making it impossible to send a patrol; that the suspect could not be detained in flagrante delicto; and that the complaint could be formally made to hospital authorities.
"From the perspective of the exercise of disciplinary action, we cannot consider that it was not decided fairly. The grounds for its application are what are non-existent", João Magalhães told Observador. The same lawyer added: "At the end it will probably be ascertained that there was no domestic violence crime at all and the only person who will be harmed, without having any responsibility, is this officer."
According to the defence, the Public Prosecutor's Office extracted a certificate from the main process to investigate whether the officer may have committed a crime.
Criminal proceedings against mayor continue
As for the accusation brought against Victor Hugo Salgado, dated 4 November, the GNR indicated to Observador that, should "new facts with disciplinary relevance" emerge during the trial, these "will be duly considered by the competent body" and the disciplinary procedure may be reopened through the internal chain of command.
Source: Observador