Armored vehicles and patrol cars arrive in Rio de Janeiro.

From Agência Brasil

To support the operations of the Civil and Military Police in conflict areas in Rio, Governor Luiz Fernando Pezão today (2) delivered eight new armored tactical vehicles and 300 vehicles destined for the Pacifying Police Units (UPPs). The new vehicles will reinforce the current fleet of 567 vehicles that serves 38 UPPs and the Pacifying Police Coordination (CPP), bringing more comfort to the security agents of the pacification policy implemented in recent years by the Rio government.

According to Governor Luiz Fernando Pezão, the armored tactical vehicles will be ready for use in daily operations against organized crime in the coming days.

"They are already adapted, they are state-of-the-art. The filming technology they have, in addition to the helmets, is impressive. It's the kind of investment we've been making more and more in technology and intelligence to help combat crime," he said.

The armored tactical vehicles will be used for troop transport and will re-equip three specialized units: the Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE), the Military Police Shock Battalion; and the Special Resources Coordination (CORE) of the Civil Police. The armored vehicles were manufactured by a South African company and have the capacity to transport 12 police officers.

According to the Secretary of Public Security for the State of Rio de Janeiro, José Mariano Beltrame, the vehicles are already being allocated to the two corporations and should be ready for use within a week.

"The employees of the manufacturing company are providing a short training course. It's an automatic vehicle, it has a complete fire suppression system. The police officers will be able to work more calmly, in greater comfort, they will have air conditioning and enough space for any type of movement," he explained.

Beltrame said that this measure represents another step taken by the government, which sought specific solutions in other countries for the reality of the state of Rio, along with the demands made by the special forces. He assessed that with the arrival of the new cars, the results will be positive. The police officer inside the vehicle will have more peace of mind and serenity to think before acting.

Some communities have already been chosen to receive the new vehicles, including the Alemão, Penha, and Rocinha complexes, which have recently faced problems. According to the coordinator of the UPPs (Pacifying Police Units), Colonel Frederico Caldas, the distribution was made taking into account several criteria, including the UPPs with the largest physical area.

"Since our vehicles operate on terrain that is often uneven, with very steep slopes, potholed streets, and not always paved roads, it is very important to have a new vehicle that provides greater mobility and visibility. The arrival of these vehicles represents a different dynamic for us, gives greater peace of mind to the police officer, and also represents a better quality of life at work, insofar as having a new vehicle provides better safety conditions," he said.

According to Caldas, with the arrival of the vehicles, the police will gain greater visibility and will reinforce the security cordon around the UPPs (Pacifying Police Units), which began to be implemented in some communities at the start of the World Cup.

"Sometimes our UPPs are positioned in important strategic corridors. I'll highlight the one in Cidade de Deus, which is an important corridor for the Complexo do Alemão, due to its proximity to the Linha Amarela highway. The arrival of these patrol cars is of fundamental importance," he explained.