On Thursday (05/12), military police officer Luan Felipe Alves Pereira, 29, was arrested after being filmed throwing a man off a bridge in Cidade Ademar, in São Paulo’s South Zone. He was detained as he arrived for work in the Internal Affairs Division, where he had been reassigned following public backlash over the incident. This is one of the recent cases of police violence that have sparked outrage in the state. In another incident, security cameras captured an off-duty police officer fatally shooting a man with 11 bullets in the back after the latter was accused of stealing cleaning products at a supermarket in Jardim Prudência, also in the South Zone of São Paulo.
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Man Thrown from Bridge
A military police officer threw a man off a bridge in Vila Clara, located in São Paulo’s South Zone, early on Monday (02/12). A video captured the moment, showing the officer holding the man by his blue shirt—reportedly a motorcyclist stopped during an inspection. The officer approached the edge of the bridge and threw the man into the river.
Man Shot 11 Times
Gabriel Renan da Silva Soares, 26, was fatally shot by an off-duty military police officer in front of a supermarket in Jardim Prudência, São Paulo’s South Zone, on Sunday (03/12). He was accused of stealing cleaning products. Security cameras recorded the moment the officer executed Gabriel outside the supermarket. During his escape, Gabriel slipped on a piece of cardboard near the entrance and fell in the parking lot. The officer, who was at the cash register paying for his purchases, drew his firearm and shot Gabriel multiple times in the back as he tried to flee. A total of 11 bullet wounds were found on his body.
45 Were Removed
Forty-five military police officers were removed from their duties and two were arrested for involvement in cases related to abuse of authority and police lethality in the last 30 days in the state of São Paulo. The incidents gained repercussions because they were captured by security cameras or cell phones.
Governor Backtracks
Under pressure from the crisis involving the rise in police violence in São Paulo, Governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) admitted on Thursday (05/12) that he was entirely wrong to criticize the use of body cameras by Military Police officers during operations. He stated he is now “convinced” that expanding the use of these devices is necessary to protect society. During his 2022 electoral campaign, when he defeated Fernando Haddad in the runoff, Tarcísio had pledged to end the use of body cameras on police uniforms. This year, a government-issued tender proposed replacing approximately 10,000 existing cameras with 12,000 new devices allowing for voluntary activation by the officers. He is also keeping Guilherme Derrite as Secretary of Public Security but will begin the week closely monitoring the implementation of a series of measures that are being classified as course corrections.
Minister of Justice
The Minister of Justice and Public Security, Ricardo Lewandowski, addressed the recent cases of police violence in São Paulo on Thursday (05/12), stating that the state cannot condone such acts. During a meeting of the National Council for Public Security and Social Defense in Brasília, the minister announced that the Ministry of Justice is developing a regulatory act on the progressive use of force, under which force would only be used as a last resort. However, the retired Supreme Court justice did not provide details on the content of this regulatory act or how it would be implemented across state police forces.
Deaths Resulting from Police Interventions
From January 1 to November 29, São Paulo recorded 697 deaths resulting from Military Police interventions, compared to 460 in the entire previous year, according to the Special Action Group for Public Security (Gaesp). This represents a 51% increase. Of these cases, 595 were committed by on-duty officers and 102 by off-duty agents. Including deaths caused by Civil Police officers, the state counted 768 cases, a 66% rise compared to the first ten months of 2023. Security forces were responsible for nearly one in four (23.9%) violence-related deaths in São Paulo between January and October, according to the Public Security Secretariat. During this period, there were 2,153 victims of intentional homicide, with 676 deaths attributed to police interventions.
Improvements in Some Indicators
Amidst mounting criticism over police violence, São Paulo’s Public Security Secretary, Guilherme Derrite, has emphasized positive security indicators under his administration to address the crisis. He pointed to a significant decrease in intentional homicides, with the state registering 2,065 cases in the first ten months of the year, the lowest number in the state’s history and a 2.9% reduction compared to the same period last year. October recorded 205 homicide cases, the second-lowest monthly figure since the historical series began in 2001.
Additionally, Derrite highlighted the drop in thefts and robberies, which fell 14.9% from January to October compared to 2023, decreasing from 190,936 to 162,409 incidents. This includes declines in cargo theft, vehicle theft, and general property crimes.
Analysis:
The recent surge in police violence in São Paulo, marked by cases like the man thrown off a bridge and the fatal shooting of a theft suspect, underscores a critical challenge in public security: the disproportionate use of force. These incidents reflect systemic issues within the São Paulo Military Police, including gaps in training, oversight, and accountability mechanisms. The cases have garnered widespread public outcry, highlighting the urgent need for reforms to prevent the normalization of excessive violence and ensure that law enforcement acts within the bounds of legality and proportionality.
Governor Tarcísio de Freitas’ recent acknowledgment of the importance of body cameras is a significant policy reversal that aligns with evidence-based practices. Studies have shown that body cameras not only increase transparency but also serve as a deterrent against misconduct, benefiting both the public and police officers. For these tools to be effective, their deployment must be mandatory, continuous, and coupled with clear protocols for data management and accountability.
The statistics on deaths resulting from police interventions are alarming. This trend indicates a failure to adopt policing strategies to focus on de-escalation and the use of less-lethal alternatives. While São Paulo’s Public Security Secretary, Guilherme Derrite, highlights positive trends such as reductions in homicides and property crimes, these gains risk being overshadowed by the human and societal costs of police violence.
Sources: O Globo [1], [2], [3]; A Folha de SP [1], [2]; G1 [1], [2], [3].
