Members of Parliament will debate the increase in police officer deaths.
The Human Rights and Minorities Commission of the Chamber of Deputies (CDHM) has scheduled a public hearing for Wednesday (October 4th) to discuss the increase in the number of police officer deaths in Brazil; in Rio de Janeiro alone, more than 100 police officers died in 2017; and between 2009 and 2015, 2.572 police officers were killed throughout the country.
Brasilia 247 - According to Congressman Paulão, the debate can foster a new culture of public safety in the country. "It is urgent to reduce the alarming statistics of violence in Brazil. To that end, we must adopt a proactive agenda guided by values of citizenship, which values police officers, respects their specificities, but at the same time rehumanizes the public safety professional," says the congressman from Alagoas.
The hearing is motivated by the high number of police officers killed, both on and off duty. In Rio de Janeiro alone, more than 100 police officers died in 2017. Data on police deaths in Brazil, presented in the 10th Brazilian Yearbook of Public Security from the Brazilian Forum of Public Security (FBSP), reveal that these professionals are killed three times more often off-duty than on-duty, and that between 2009 and 2015, 2.572 police officers were killed in the country. No other country in the world has such numbers.
For comparison, the number of police officers killed in Brazil in one year is the same as the number of police officer deaths in England over 98 years. In the US, 41 police officers died on duty in 2015, compared to 103 in Brazil, more than double. According to research by the Brazilian Forum on Public Security and the Center for Studies on Organizations and People at FGV – EAESP, 61,9% of police officers answered affirmatively when asked if they knew close or relatively close police officers who had been executed. Off-duty, 70% of police officers said they had had a close colleague who was a victim of homicide.
"Since low pay is almost the norm in most states, police officers are forced to take on extra jobs to support their families, exposing themselves to a vulnerable situation of violence. Given the situation of so many lives lost, we note that many governments and officials do not show concern for the deaths of police officers. The families of deceased police officers go through humiliating situations to ensure that pensions or insurance are paid, leaving them in a situation of extreme social vulnerability. The Brazilian state needs to confront this situation by breaking the vicious cycle of leniency and inaction, adopting public policies that combat the factors that cause the killing of police officers," emphasizes Congressman Paulão.
The following were invited as speakers at the public hearing:
Mr. ELISANDRO LOTIN DE SOUZA - President of the National Association of Military Personnel - ANASPRA; (confirmed)
Mr. IBIS SILVA PEREIRA - Colonel of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro, former commander of the Military Police Academy and former General Commander of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro; (confirmed)
Dr. MÁRIO LUIZ BONSAGLIA - Deputy Attorney General of the Republic, Coordinator of the 7th Chamber - External Control of Police Activity and Prison System of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office; (to be confirmed)
Ms. ISABEL SEIXAS DE FIGUEIREDO - Consultant for the Brazilian Forum on Public Security and former Director of Research at the National Secretariat of Public Security; (confirmed)
Mr. André Luiz Gutierrez - President of the Brazilian Confederation of Civil Police Workers. (to be confirmed)
With assistance from the Chamber.
Brasilia 247 - According to Congressman Paulão, the debate can foster a new culture of public safety in the country. “It is urgent to reduce the alarming statistics of violence in Brazil. To that end, we must adopt a proactive agenda guided by values of citizenship, which values police officers, respects their specificities, but at the same time rehumanizes the public safety professional,” states the congressman from Alagoas.
The hearing is motivated by the high number of police officers killed, both on and off duty. In Rio de Janeiro alone, more than 100 police officers died in 2017. Data on police deaths in Brazil, presented in the 10th Brazilian Yearbook of Public Security from the Brazilian Forum of Public Security (FBSP), reveal that these professionals are killed three times more often off-duty than on-duty, and that between 2009 and 2015, 2.572 police officers were killed in the country. No other country in the world has such numbers.
For comparison, the number of police officers killed in Brazil in one year is the same as the number of police officer deaths in England over 98 years. In the US, 41 police officers died on duty in 2015, compared to 103 in Brazil, more than double. According to research by the Brazilian Forum on Public Security and the Center for Studies on Organizations and People at FGV – EAESP, 61,9% of police officers answered affirmatively when asked if they knew close or relatively close police officers who had been executed. Off-duty, 70% of police officers said they had had a close colleague who was a victim of homicide.
“Since low pay is almost the norm in most states, police officers are forced to take on side jobs to support their families, exposing themselves to a vulnerable situation of violence. Given the situation of so many lives lost, we note that many governments and officials do not show concern for the deaths of police officers. The families of deceased police officers go through humiliating situations to ensure that pensions or insurance are paid, leaving them in a situation of extreme social vulnerability. The Brazilian state needs to confront this situation by breaking the vicious cycle of leniency and inaction, adopting public policies that combat the factors that cause the killing of police officers,” emphasizes Congressman Paulão.
The following were invited as speakers at the public hearing:
Mr. ELISANDRO LOTIN DE SOUZA - President of the National Association of Military Personnel - ANASPRA; (confirmed)
Mr. IBIS SILVA PEREIRA - Colonel of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro, former commander of the Military Police Academy and former General Commander of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro; (confirmed)
Dr. MÁRIO LUIZ BONSAGLIA - Deputy Attorney General of the Republic, Coordinator of the 7th Chamber - External Control of Police Activity and Prison System of the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office; (to be confirmed)
Ms. ISABEL SEIXAS DE FIGUEIREDO - Consultant for the Brazilian Forum on Public Security and former Director of Research at the National Secretariat of Public Security; (confirmed)
Mr. André Luiz Gutierrez - President of the Brazilian Confederation of Civil Police Workers. (to be confirmed)