In February of this year, the state of São Paulo recorded a 29% increase in deaths caused by civil and military police, compared to 2022. According to data published in the Friday (31) edition of the Official State Gazette, part A significant proportion of homicides occurred outside of operations. The data are from the Internal Affairs of the Military Police and the General Internal Affairs of the Civil Police. Six people were killed in February by civil police officers on duty and 24 by military police officers on duty. According to the publication, that month, seven people were victims of military police outside office hours, which reinforces the hypothesis that they did not clash with criminals and that the deaths may have been the result of other circumstances, such as misunderstandings. In a similar context, a person was killed by a civil police officer. Only one homicide in February, committed by a Military Police agent, was considered intentional, that is, when there is an intention to kill. When analyzing the months of January 2022 and January 2023, the growth is 23%. Most of the victims died at the hands of military police officers on duty (23). Off-duty military police appear in second place as the perpetrators of homicides, with a total of 13 cases. Finally, there are off-duty police officers, who committed a murder, indicated by the Corporation’s Internal Affairs Department as intentional. The trend, when comparing 2021 to 2022, was downward. In January 2021, 62 cases were counted. In the following month, there were 70. Investigations and psychological care The Official Gazette also provides details on referrals by military and civil police officers to psychologists who provide services to corporations. In the case of the Civil Police, the publication informs that no agent went to receive assistance. As for the Military Police (PM), what stands out is that 305 agents participate, this year, in the Support and Monitoring Program. The publication also contains information on processes initiated to investigate homicides. Within the scope of the Civil Police, 18 police reports were formalized, in addition to the opening of 52 investigations, 27 administrative investigations and 20 administrative processes. In the PM, the number of inquiries and investigations is greater: 209 and 293, respectively. In all, 14 disciplinary councils and two justification councils were issued, and five disciplinary administrative processes are underway. Cameras and the Judiciary For researcher Dennis Pacheco, from the Brazilian Public Security Forum, the cameras attached to the agents’ uniforms have contributed to inhibit police abuses, even with use limited to working hours, not capturing illegalities that occurred during off-duty periods. “The cameras have proven effectiveness. So, it is evident that maintaining the policy is important”, says Pacheco. The researcher criticizes, however, the conduct of the Judiciary, saying that it depends on the proper punishment of police authorities who have committed abuses. Pacheco adds that instruments such as the ombudsman, which produces surveys and analyzes occurrences, help the population to monitor cases and demand action. “In a survey that we carried out, it was discovered that more than 90% of cases of police lethality in the state of São Paulo were archived”, informs Pacheco. “There is a certain leniency on the part of the government in relation to cases of lethality caused by police.” On the other hand Questioned by Agência Brasil about data on police fatality in February, the Secretariat for Public Security replied that deaths resulting from police intervention should not be “equated” to occurrences resulting in death on duty, because they have different dynamics. there are several situations in which the off-duty police officer can intervene. For example, when agents are victims and act in their defense, or in defense of their family, or when the police officer acts in defense of third parties, upon seeing a criminal action. the deaths of suspects that occur on duty are the result of actions in which the police are acting on behalf of society. In the text, the secretariat adds that all cases are analyzed by police institutions, rigorously investigated by internal affairs, communicated to the Public Ministry and judged by Justice. “In addition, the agents have the support of equipment and constant training. Occurrences are investigated by the Civil Police and by a specialized division of the Internal Affairs Division of the PM, the ‘Division of PM Victim’, responsible for monitoring and acting to clarify crimes against the police”, he concludes.
Agência Brasil
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