The operation, called “Solidarity is ageless – PSP with the elderly”, is part of the Public Security Police's global strategy of proximity policing and its main objective is to get in touch and speak with citizens over 65, says the police, in a statement.

According to the PSP, the initiative, which takes place every year, aims to "detect cases of social fragility, physical and psychological vulnerability compromising security and cases of suspected crimes of domestic violence or others against life or physical integrity, promoting immediately the necessary support in articulation with other entities”.

The PSP highlights that "the feeling of insecurity affects the elderly population in a particularly way" due to the physical, psychological and mental vulnerabilities that worsen with age and the consequent loss of autonomy, which places these people as "victims and less able for self-defense in relation to crimes against property”, such as theft, fraud and extortion, and against personal freedom, namely threats, coercion and kidnapping.

The elderly population is also more vulnerable to crimes related to physical integrity, such as offenses, domestic violence or abuse, and there is also a “sense of abandonment”.

The PSP also refers that these vulnerabilities can also be added to problems related to “the fragile conditions of housing, hygiene, public health, individual health or food”.

"All these conditions, without a close and attentive family or neighborhood circle, enhance situations of anonymity (suffering in silence) that make possible assistance-related interventions and that the PSP, both through this national operation, and through daily work of proximity policing, intends to revert, contributing to reinforce the security of these citizens”, sustains the Police to justify the initiative.

In 2020, the PSP identified almost 1000 elderly people in the operation “Solidarity is ageless – PSP with the elderly”, 891 of whom were considered at risk and 508 were immediately referred to support institutions.