Military police officers from the capital They started using 585 security cameras attached to uniforms this Saturday (1st) after cases of police violence In the state of São Paulo, these events came to light during the coronavirus pandemic, with the release of videos on social media. This information was confirmed by the press office of [organization name]. Secretariat of Public Security (SSP) (read statement below).
O "Watchful Eye" program“, presented on July 22nd by Governor João Doria (PSDB), intends to implement 3,000 cameras on police uniforms by the end of the year. It begins this Saturday with more than 500 cameras donated by private initiative to the Capital Policing Command. Another batch, of 2,500 devices, The project will be acquired through an international tender. The announced investment will be R$ 7 million.
The measure comes amid criticism from human rights organizations and security experts regarding the approaches taken by military police this year in the state.
“"The use of this equipment aims to prevent potential abuses and also to record disrespect and acts of violence committed against police officers," the governor declared at the time. "This initiative will indeed greatly reduce the level of violence perpetrated by the few police officers who commit excesses. We will preserve the vast majority of the Military Police, who fulfill their duty and obligation in an exemplary manner.".
“"I would like to point out that this is a study that began 6 years ago as a pilot project in a battalion in the South Zone and is now beginning to be expanded," he said this Saturday. G1 Lieutenant Colonel Emerson Massera, spokesperson for the Military Police.
Videos circulating online show brutal actions by police officers against suspects and citizens during the quarantine. (see above). Because of the attacks, some Police officers were arrested and some were even suspended from their posts..
During the same period, the following were also recorded: increase in cases of police lethality, with more people killed by the police compared to last year. Conversely, also rise in the number of officers killed.
The cameras will serve as agents of three battalions of the Military Police Metropolitan police units in the capital (11th, 13th and 37th BPM-MS). Special troops, such as the Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar (Rota), will not use the device at this time.
According to the corporation, the technology will capture live audio and video and offer greater security and transparency in police activities.
“"The recordings preserve the actions of the police officers and the individual rights of citizens, in addition to strengthening the production of judicial evidence," states the press release from the Public Security Secretariat.
“"The São Paulo state government has begun installing body cameras on police officers' uniforms to provide even greater transparency to police actions. As of today [Saturday], 585 cameras are being used in the area of the Capital Police Command. An international bidding process is underway for the acquisition of another 2,500. The initiative will expand the use of portable cameras during patrols and ensure greater transparency in police actions," the statement from the department informs.
Police officers who assaulted a young man in the North Zone have been suspended by the Internal Affairs Department.
The police officer will be responsible for turning the camera on and off. However, the recorded footage cannot be deleted, as it will be sent directly to a 'cloud'. The instruction is that the device, which will be the size of a cell phone and attached to the vest, must be turned on during every police operation.
The PM already had 120 body cameras used since 2016 by the Capital Policing Command. But their model was still in testing, being considered obsolete at present and, for this reason, will be replaced by the new one. Another 30 cameras similar to those that will be adopted by the Military Police were used in demonstrations.
In June, Doria had already announced the retraining of the troops as a measure to contain cases of police violence. And he stated that he would make available 1,000 stun guns for the agents.
On Friday (31), the Public Security Secretariat informed that the Military Police's self-defense manual is undergoing revision and the immobilization procedure called cervical lock, the popular “"Mata leão" (rear naked choke) is prohibited in police stops in the state..
In total, the Military Police has more than 84,000 officers in the state, including both men and women.
source:
G1
