In letters sent to the Federal Supreme Court, the Civil and Military police stated that they are against the installation of cameras in the uniforms of police officers of their special units, the Battalion of Special Operations (Bope) and the Coordination of Special Operations and Resources (Core), both involved in the most lethal actions in the state of Rio de Janeiro in recent years.
In reports attached to the appeal against Minister Edson Fachin’s decision — which determined the sending of a schedule for deploying the equipment — corporations make a series of criticisms of the use of body cameras. According to the document sent by the Military Police, the equipment “exposes officers more than it preserves his position and activity”. As for the Civil Police, the camera “may bring insecurity for police officers from special units and cause some kind of hesitation in decision-making”.
Another report sent to the STF says that “monitoring by cameras is contrary to the guidelines and doctrinal prescriptions for the use of Special Operations”. According to the Civil Police, following the installation of cameras, “there is a risk of disseminating or making images available to third parties, which could compromise the unit’s performance and modus operandi”. Possible leaks could increase the risk of “collateral damage through the injury and death of innocent people”.
Rio de Janeiro state government claims that the use of cameras by elite troops “puts the lives of police officers and third parties at risk, as well as the necessary secrecy of strategies, tactics and even action protocols”.
