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 episodes gained repercussions for having been caught by security cameras or cell phones. Among those removed, one has already had preventive detention decreed by the Court of Justice of São Paulo. The cases reignited the discussion about the use of cameras in the uniforms of the Military Police.
This Content Is Only For Subscribers
To unlock this content, subscribe to INTERLIRA Reports.
A survey by the Secretariat of Public Security (SSP) pointed out that the number of civil police officers arrested in the state of São Paulo for misconduct increased by 43.75% between January and October 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. From one year to the next, the jump was from 32 to 46 police officers arrested. Specifically in the Civil Police, 27 agents were removed from January to October this year – almost double the previous year, when 14 agents were removed, informed the Secretariat.
30/11/2024 – Five hooded and armed criminals carried out a mass robbery on Saturday night (30/12) at Rei das Batidas, a traditional bar in Butantã, West Zone. Security camera images, which circulate on social networks, show bandits stealing cell phones from customers. The criminals assaulted some customers with pushes and rifle butts.
02/12/2024 – A 48-year-old doorman was stabbed on Monday morning (02/12) on Caraíbas Street, in Perdizes, West Zone. He did not resist his injuries and died on the spot. The suspect fled.
02/12/2024 – A military police officer threw a man from the top of a bridge in the Vila Clara neighborhood, South Zone, in the early hours of Monday (02/12). According to information from the Military Police, the agents were from the 24th BPM of Diadema, in Greater São Paulo, and chased the motorcycle to the South Zone of São Paulo.
06/12/2024 – A 31-year-old man in a psychotic break shot at military police officers from an apartment on Joaquim Antunes Street, in Pinheiros, West Zone, on Friday night (06/12). The Special Tactical Actions Group (Gate) was activated to negotiate the surrender of the shooter. As he resisted arrest, he was immobilized by a sniffer dog that bit him. On the property, an arsenal of weapons and drugs was found.
07/12/2024 – An operation by the Military Police in a house in the community of Paraisópolis, South Zone, ended with one dead and five arrested, on Saturday night (07/12). One of the suspects, 24 years old, tried to disarm a police officer and was shot. During the search, the Military Police seized eight cell phones, 20 precision scales, a notebook with notes on trafficking, 59 portions of marijuana, and 61 poppers.
07/12/2024 – A 31-year-old driver was shot by a 53-year-old municipal guard after being involved in a traffic accident on Rua das Três Marias, in Parque Novo Santo Amaro, South Zone, on Saturday night (07/12). According to the Public Security Secretariat, the man fled after colliding with the vehicle.
08/12/2024 – A military police officer who was working as a security guard at a nightclub on Alameda Dino Bueno, in Bom Retiro, Centro, killed a man who was displaying a replica of a gun on Sunday night (08/12). Images from the nightclub’s security cameras recorded the moment when the victim was arguing with a group displaying the simulacrum. The police officer followed the argument and then left the nightclub and shot two times.
09/12/2024 – A woman was taken hostage at a bus stop in front of the Cásper Líbero University building, on Avenida Paulista, in Bela Vista, Centre, by another woman who threatened her with a knife to the neck, on Monday afternoon (09/12). The Military Police sent teams to negotiate the surrender. All lanes of the avenue, towards Consolação, were interdicted. After about 40 minutes, police officers used a stun gun to immobilize the kidnapper and released the woman.
09/12/2024 – An operation by the Civil Police against the illegal arms trade located, on Monday (09/12), an arsenal of 152 assorted weapons, with ammunition and various accessories, inside the property of a man with CAC registration, on Jacatirão Street, in Santo Amaro, South Zone. The owner of the property was arrested.
09/12/2024 – A suspect in stealing a car was shot dead on Monday (09/12) after the victim found him near his vehicle through the GPS on Eusébio de Paula Marcondes Street, Jardim D’Abril, West Zone. Contrary to the police’s recommendation, the victim joined a group and went to the place where the suspects were trying to steal a van from an online commerce company. Upon arriving, the group shot the suspects. The other two managed to escape.
11/12/2024 – A 27-year-old man was seriously injured after being shot during an attempted robbery on Avenida Domênico Martinelli, in Rio Pequeno, West Zone, on Wednesday night (11/12). According to initial information from the civil police, the victim was walking on the sidewalk when he was approached by two criminals on a motorcycle. The man was shot three times.
16/12/2024 – An 18-year-old boy was shot and killed during a robbery in Jardim Ângela, South Zone, on Monday (16/12). According to the boy’s family, the criminal would have asked for the victim’s cell phone and sneakers. The criminal complained that it was taking too long and shot him.
16/12/2024 – The Public Prosecutor’s Office of São Paulo (MP-SP) and the internal affairs departments of the Military Police and the Civil Police carried out on Monday morning (16/12) an operation against police officers accused of extorting money from street vendors in the Brás region, downtown. In all, nine people were arrested, including five military police officers. During the action, the agents found R$ 145,000 in the house of one of the investigated. Prosecutors stated that the group acted as a militia, using the position and official vehicles to extort money from merchants.
16/12/2024 – Security cameras caught a 24-year-old woman being kicked and punched by her ex-partner on Avenida Giovanni Gronchi, in Vila Andrade, South Zone, on Monday (16/12). Three other people who appeared in the recording, two women and a man, did not react. The victim filed a request for a protective measure against the aggressor. The case was registered as domestic violence, bodily injury, and attempted homicide.
17/12/2024 – The Federal Police (PF) and the Civil Police (PC) launched on Tuesday morning (17/12), in São Paulo, Operation Tacitus, with the objective of arresting police officers suspected of involvement with the First Command of the Capital (PCC). Seven people were arrested, including police chief Fábio Baena and three civil police officers. Baena was one of those responsible for investigating Antonio Vinícius Lopes Gritzbach, a whistleblower from the First Command of the Capital (PCC), executed at Guarulhos Airport.
17/12/2024 – The Civil Police of São Paulo launched on Tuesday (17/12) an operation in the capital against a mafia involved in the production and sale of methamphetamine. According to the investigations, the criminal organization is formed mainly by foreigners residing in Brazil. The operation targeted 32 Chinese, four Nigerians, four Mexicans, two Portuguese, and one Colombian, in addition to 17 Brazilians. According to the Civil Police, methamphetamine was manufactured outside Brazil.
18/12/2024 – A 20-year-old man posed as an adult film producer to have sex and blackmail a 17-year-old teenager in the South Zone of São Paulo. The police are investigating whether other women were victims of the scammer. The criminal is responsible for extortion, sexual violation by fraud, favoring prostitution, and storage of child pornography.
22/12/2024 – A robbery occurred on Sunday afternoon (22/12) at the intersection of Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima and Rua Tabapuã, in Itaim Bibi, South Zone. In a video, taken by a witness inside a car, it is possible to see when the robbers approach the victim who is stopped at the traffic light. One of the thieves pointed the gun at the rider, who got off the motorcycle. Then, one of them takes the victim’s motorcycle and flees. The accomplices also escape.
24/12/2024 – A 78-year-old man was killed on Tuesday morning (24/12), on Alberto Colombero Street, in Jardim Jaú, East Zone. According to the police report, initially, the man asked his family for money. After a refusal, he took belongings from the victims and shot the elderly man in the chest before fleeing.
24/12/2024 – A pair of armed robbers were hit by a driver during an attempted motorcycle robbery in the Interlagos region, south of São Paulo, on Tuesday (24/12). The case happened next to Shopping SP Market, in the Jurubatuba neighborhood. In an attempt to escape the bandits, another car also tried to run them over. Then, the victim who was being robbed collected his belongings. The criminals manage to escape without taking anything.
25/12/2024 – A 24-year-old man was shot at close range by a Military Police officer (PM) on Wednesday morning (25/12) on Eusébio de Paula Marcondes Street, in Jardim D’Abril. According to the PM, agents were called to clear a road blocked by residents with traffic cones, when there was widespread confusion. At this moment, the boy who was shot took out his cell phone and started filming. The involved PMs claimed that the young man tried to take the agent’s gun during the confusion. An investigation is being conducted, and the agents were removed from the streets.
TRENDS & ADVICE
- Stay away from any protest most likely to occur in the city center, including Avenida Paulista, the MASP, Praça do Ciclista, Praça da Sé, Largo da Batata and Praça da Republica.
- Attention when walking downtown São Paulo, especially in Liberdade and Sé districts. At night, these regions are no-go zones.
- Monitor the local media in order to circumvent protest locations, including social media.
- If caught in a demonstration: remain still and take the time to see which way the crowd is going; attempt to leave the area by going against the movement of the crowd; avoid using your mobile phone, taking pictures or filming the demonstration; go to the nearest building as soon as possible and wait until the situation clears; try to avoid contact with security forces if possible.
- Considering the high crime rate of some locations in São Paulo, business travelers and expatriates should comply with safety rules in order to reduce the risk linked to violent crime. In case of an assault, it is strictly recommended not to resist and avoid making any sharp movement that may irritate criminals, who do not hesitate to open fire.
- Avoid, if possible, circulating through the neighborhoods in the East Zone and peripheral neighborhoods in other zones due to the high rates of various crimes.
- Pay attention when trying to meet new people on the internet as criminals use the dating apps and social networks to apply scams.
- Due to several police operations, drug users previously concentrated in a region called “Cracolândia” have spread across downtown, leading to an increase in petty crimes. Hence, avoid walking around with your cell phone in your hand, in addition to wearing jewels and expensive watches.
- The number of express kidnappings has increased lately due to a new method (PIX) that allows people to easily transfer money using bank apps. Cooperate in order to mitigate the risk of violence.
- Attention to the windows when inside a vehicle. Keep them closed, as criminals use heavy traffic to rob passengers that expose valuables.
- Keep in mind useful numbers: Emergency police number (190), and São Paulo tourist Police (+55 11 3120 4447).
