Rodrigues. Is he up to the job ?

I think whoever comes in, has a major job on his hands. The whole PJ have been a law unto themselves for far too long. IMO there is a very bad element within which has gone unchallenged for long enough. Their own public are scared of them, how can that be right.

Its going to take someone with no allegiances to penetrate the corruptness that I believe runs deep and I hope for Portugals sake this new man doesnt turn out to be tarred with the same brush. For now I will reserve judgement!!

that this man Rodrigues is a police officer who worked his way through the ranks of the PJ. The other National Directors of the PJ have been magistrates and not police officers.If there is inherent corruption of long standing within the PJ it would require a very strong character to actually change the workings of the PJ. Maybe I am being unfair. I shall reserve judgement like you Tinks.

anyone would be given the job if they didn't have the right allegiances in the first place?

Look at the Casa pia case where the police new about this yet did nothing and alleged cover up? What happened to the bad apples? Did they sack them all…… it appears not… in my opinion...

Lisbon, 09 May (Lusa) - The new director of the National Judicial Police (PJ), Almeida Rodrigues, takes possession today afternoon, a ceremony which will be attended to the Prime Minister, José Sócrates, and the Minister of Justice, Alberto Costa.
Almeida Rodrigues, 49 years, degree in law, is coordinator of criminal investigation of PJ and was one of three deputy directors at the national office of the former director of the National Judicial Santos Cabral.
According to his official curriculum, José Maria de Almeida Rodrigues is a native of Viseu, where he was born on August 10, 1958, with degree in law from the Faculty of Law at the University of Coimbra.
Previously, in August 1999, was appointed responsible for the inspection of Aveiro and the Judicial Police in September of that year collaborated with the National Institute of Police Science and Criminal, having taught in the Directory of Coimbra, a training course in the area of legal criminal law and criminal procedural law.

In October 1996, provided technical advice to the Judicial Police in Cape Verde, having won public praise of the Minister of Justice and Internal Administration in this country.

In November 1995 he was appointed responsible for the Regional Chamber to Combat Corruption, Fraud and Violation of Economic and Financial Directory of Coimbra of the PJ.

In July 1991 cooperating with the National Institute of Police Science and Criminal in the design and teaching of courses on trafficking and viciação of motor vehicles, in October 1990 and guided the training of interns.

In July 1982 took office as a trainee in the Directorate of Lisbon and in November 1981 launched the ongoing training of staff trainees at school Judicial Police.

It was the first classified in the course of inspectors, in the second Course Coordinators and the first in the competition for Higher Coordinator of Criminal Investigation.

In 26 years of career, except for the first classification of service for which he obtained with distinction Well, I was always ranked Good.


I hope he is strong enough to beat the levels of corruption he is going to encounter. He enters this service at a particularly tricky time I would say, with the verdict due on Casa Pia and Goncalo Amaral and Paulo Cristoavo and three others due in court in the autumn to face particularly serious charges which carry up to 3 years and 5 years imprisonment of found guilty and according to reports, there is a high possibility of them being found guilty.

I see nowhere in this profile that suggests he has specialised in cases like the Madeleine McCann case or other abductions, his CV seems to be fraud etc.

Personally, I am hoping that this man can restore some of my faith in the Portuguese police and legal system, but this is a uphill struggle. I had great hopes for Mr Paulo Rebelo and he lets us all down badly. He turned out to be a spineless yes man, a fall guy, and he too has let Madeleine down and helped to bring Portugal into disrepute.

I hope this man can force the PJ back to looking for Madeleine and can get a grip on this failing investigation and has not just been put there as an acceptable face, in order to make the transition from ongoing investigation - to the shelf as smoothly as possible.

Somehow I am not holding my breath. If he is to do anything at all he needs to act swiftly and show his errant officers that all this dithering is no longer acceptable and he has to act swiftly and force the PJ to remove the arguido status from these parents and allow them to see their files and the files of this case so they can employ their own investigators to look for Madeleine conducting something near a proper investigation.

I would like to see the McCann's hire someone like Mark Williams-Thomas, a former Surrey police detective and an expert in paedophile crime, this would be a good way to start the hunt for Madeleine.

Yes and reports have this Casa Pia abuse scandal as going on for over 35 years!

I would very much like to think that Rodrigues will be the new broom that sweeps clean. However I am a bit concerned at the timing of this new appointment with regards to Madeleine's case. For a long time now (to our knowledge) nothing has been done or is being done by the PJ to actively look for Madeleine. How can Rodrigues
come on scene and evaluate everything with the command to his men of "Go find Madeleine"? Do you honestly see this happening? To date so much time has been wasted and I am really fearful that this is the signal for the beginning of the end of this farcical 'enquiry'.

Someone please tell me that I have got it all wrong, because that is what I want to hear :!:

I agree with you (which isn't what you wanted to hear!). I just don't see how anyone can take over and actually do anything useful now. So much evidence seems to have been ignored, leads not followed, etc.

Anyone notice that the new guy comes from Viseu?

Anyone remember who else comes from there?

Clue: lolololooooool

Tulip

Hi Archer, havent seen you for a while, I hope you are well. Unfortunately, I think your fears will be realised. I believe his appointment is much too late for dear Madeleine. Personally I think he has been brought in to weather the fallout from the Portuguese public when the case is shelved with no charges. Maybe the next child to go missing will stand a better chance, as I do not believe Madeleine will be the last, I think the place is a ticking timebomb. The best he can do for Madeleine now is to lift the McCanns status and let them have full access to all the files. Its the least he can do.

I have my reservations over Rodrigues. Mainly because he has been involved with the PJ over many years. Like Archer I hope a new broom will sweep clean...but I won't hold my breath.

Hi Mum & Tulip, nice to see you both.

Hi Tinks, it is good to see you too.

I am not at all sure about this Rodrigues, but I hope I am wrong.
Something tells me he is another Amaral....which would mean he is not a new broom at all.

PS. Tinks...what is the quote button used for?

Mum. I think it works like a cut and paste. I have never used it but I think you can take someones quote and post with your comment.

The PM (personal message) facility on here is excellent. Like now, if I had missed your post, you could have sent a PM to for example Rosie and asked your question. She would have picked it up from where ever she is on the forum and replied.

Hi Tinks, I'm well thanks, hope you are too.

I agree with you. I can't see Portugal bringing in a new guy that is going to ruffle too many feathers, else his tenure won't be for very long, will it?. Portugal must be looking for a bit of stability now - the world is still watching, not only Madeleine's case but also the 'secret secret' case !
Rodrigues will have to deal with any 'fall-out' from that too. Can't afford to go round upsetting the good old boys in the Pj can he?


Night all :¬)

Just highlight the text you want to quote, it can be a cut and paste or anything you want to say as a quote like this.

highlight it and just click on quote and when you press send or preview your highlighted text will appear as a quote.

this is a quote

I think amaral is a fat tubby lump of lard.

Sorry archer I cant tell you what you want to hear either, i agree with everyone else unfortunately. I hope I am wrong but I don't think so. I got my hopes up when Rebelo took over and he has proven to be next to useless!

I think Rodrigues has been put in to manage this investigation to the shelf.

The next thing we hear will be the arguido status lifted, expect it to be announced on a bad news day. It will be dressed up to please the Portuguese people.

Hopefully they will be allowed access to the case files and they will be able to get their own investigators in and start from scratch, Mark Williams-Thomas seems to think this can still be done. I wish he would offer his services to the McCann's at least we would know they were in a safe pair of hands!

the more that this goes on without them finding her little body, the more hope that I have that she is still alive.

Is this a picture of Clawd? Or is Tubby a Portuguese LadyMan?m(Feel free to nick my avatars Ana)
**************************
Every time I come on you have me laughing my head off....! I hope they see those photos...

The resemblance is striking don't you think? But I do feel that Portuguese LadyMan Tubby should have his mustache trimmed and dyed a little and I do think he should pay more attention to his skin and remembers to moisturise properly, all that sun has definitely taken its toll.

I expect all that sun is why people who live in Portugal age so quickly.