The first base of the Municipal Force, an elite division of the Municipal Guard (GM) authorized to operate with firearms, will be established in Leblon, located in Rio de Janeiro’s affluent South Zone, near the Miguel Couto Municipal Hospital. Starting on Tuesday (05/08), renovation work will begin on the site, which has housed a GM unit since 2010. The construction is expected to take approximately four months to complete and will require an investment of R$2.6 million.
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What Will It Be Like
The facility will include areas with restricted access and rooms specifically designed for the storage of both lethal and non-lethal weapons. Non-lethal equipment such as pepper spray and tear gas grenades will be stored in one room, while a separate warehouse will be dedicated exclusively to firearms. In addition, there will be a designated area featuring a concrete-lined, sand-filled “de-ammunition box,” where ammunition can be safely removed from weapons and stored or disposed of under controlled conditions.
Site Selection
The new base will be in Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora Square, at the intersection with Mário Ribeiro Street. Authorities selected this site strategically, as the first group of 600 officers—who will begin patrolling by March 2026—will be primarily assigned to operate in high-traffic areas throughout the South Zone and the city center. This deployment is part of a broader plan to increase the Municipal Force’s presence in key urban zones.
4,200 Officers
The long-term objective is to build a force of 4,200 officers by 2028. Of these, 1,200 will be drawn from the existing ranks of the Municipal Guard, while the remainder will be hired under non-permanent contracts. These temporary positions will have terms of up to six years and will not require public service entrance exams. As the force expands, at least two or three additional bases are expected to be constructed or renovated in other parts of the city, including the North and West Zones. The specific timeline for these expansions has not yet been finalized.
Emotion Assessment
To ensure that candidates are suited for the responsibilities of armed service, a series of psychological evaluations will be conducted. These tests will assess nine criteria, including emotional regulation in high-stress situations, levels of aggression, focus, and decision-making capacity. Officers selected to join the armed division will receive a salary package totaling R$13,033, which includes bonuses for the risks associated with firearm use and public safety duties. According to legislation approved earlier this year by the City Council, the role of the Municipal Force will focus on overt, preventive policing strategies and addressing lower-level crimes such as street theft and cell phone robberies. These officers will not participate in high-risk police operations in favelas or similar environments.
Analysis:
The creation of the Municipal Force’s first armed base in Leblon represents a significant evolution in Rio de Janeiro’s approach to urban policing. By equipping a division of the Municipal Guard with firearms and specialized infrastructure, the city is signaling a more assertive stance on public security in high-density and high-value areas. This move responds to growing concerns over street-level crimes like mugging and phone theft, particularly in neighborhoods where public security is a major political and economic concern.
Strategically placing the first base in the South Zone and prioritizing visible, preventive policing suggests a focus on deterrence rather than reactive or repressive action. By explicitly excluding operations in high-risk areas such as favelas, the policy also appears to draw a line between municipal and state-level policing responsibilities. Going forward, the success of the Municipal Force will depend not only on its tactical effectiveness but also on how well it navigates legal, ethical, and social expectations in an already fragmented security landscape.
Sources: A Folha de SP; O Globo.
