The Justice Ministry and the Federal Highway Police (PRF) began studies to implant more than 10,000 body cameras in the uniforms of PRF agents. The project would reach the entire operational force of the corporation and would serve as a showcase and incentive for the adoption of the equipment by the military police.
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At the end of February, the PRF set up a working group with the institution’s intelligence, human rights, and ombudsman teams to collect data on the applicability of the technology. There is still no estimate of how much they will cost, but the idea is that the equipment will be used by the end of this year.
Studies
Studies are assessing whether the cameras should capture ambient sound and remain permanently on. There is concern that officers, who work 24-hour shifts, will have their privacy violated. But the bill aims both to curb abuses committed by police and to protect them from false accusations.
Genivaldo case
During the Bolsonaro government, PRF participated in raids on communities in Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais that resulted in the deaths of more than 61 people. But the biggest criticisms were made after, in May 2022, a man diagnosed with schizophrenia was killed when stopped by three Federal Highway police officers in Umbaúba (SE). Genivaldo de Jesus Santos, 38, was arrested, beaten, and locked in the trunk of a car, where he was forced to inhale tear gas. The case resonated with the videos recorded by witnesses.
Our Analysis:
President Lula’s government understands that the use of body cameras is essential for reducing police lethality. The Federal Highway Police should be used as an incentive instrument for states to also install the equipment in their Military Police. Experts point out that there is still much to discuss about the use of these cameras and their produced images, mainly in relation to the privacy of those who are filmed. Furthermore, this should not be the only solution for changing police forces. According to the National Council of Secretaries of Public Security, body cameras have served to protect police officers, strengthen evidence, reduce the use of force, reduce complaints, and allow evaluation of the service provided.
Source: O Globo
