The Judiciary Police (PJ) will set up four divisions handling national security matters next Monday, according to a by-law published in the Official Gazette (BO) yesterday.
Government-drafted by-laws, officially known as administrative regulations, do not require the legislature’s approval.
The government has formulated the by-law regulating the organisation structure and operation of the Judiciary Police in line with a new law amending the current functions and powers of the Judiciary Police passed by the Legislative Assembly (AL) in August, which specifically grants the Judiciary Police – Macau’s criminal investigation department – the power to investigate national security cases and tackle other matters concerning national security.
The new by-law will take effect next Monday, when the new Judiciary Police law comes into force as well.
The new PJ law and by-law will replace the existing PJ law and by-law, which both came into force in 2006.
The new four PJ divisions tasked with the gathering of intelligence, the investigation of suspected cases, operational support and general affairs will operate under the newly established Security Department of the Judiciary Police.
Currently, if the Judiciary Police launch an investigation on a national security-related case, it is handled by their Special Investigation Division.
