She said;
the deponent states that because she has been in Portugal for a long time and knows many people, she decided to mount a "post" to collect information in order to be able to determine things about the subject and thus could channel them to the competent authorities. For three days (Friday 11/05, Saturday 12/05 and Sunday 13/05) she was at the "post" mounted near to the cinema having obtained some information that she gave to Robert who, in turn, gave it to the Police.
--- Her idea was to try to sensitise people not to feel intimidated by the presence of police and lead them to give all the information that they knew.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/JENNIFER-MURAT.htm
You are assuming that intimidated means scared.
Sensitise; make people aware. Intimidated; overawed.
So her aim can be seen as an effort to make people aware there was no need to feel overawed by the police presence.
Pure nitpicking IMO. There is only one credible reason why she thought people would not want to get involved with the police and that is because they were scared to. Not surprising if they knew about the Cipriano case and that the lead policeman who had just been made an arguido regarding the torture of a witness was someone who could be questioning them.
Although even without that particular knowledge I believe that many of the indiginous population would be well aware of the 'vigorous' methods of interrogation employed by some police officers - particular those officers of the 'old school'. IIRC there is an interview where Amaral's mate confirms what would have happened to Kate in the 'old days'. Words to the effect that she would have been in prison before she knew what had hit her. (no pun intended). From memory so am happy to retract if necessary.
AIMHO
