The Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro insists on the nefarious path of populism in the management of public security – as does Congress and other state chambers.
In September, its deputies approved a bonus of 10 to 150% of the salaries of Civil Police agents in the event of seizure of large caliber weapons and restricted use and “neutralization of criminals”, according to the text, during operations.
The measure, an article of a law that restructures the corporate framework, has been described as a “wild west bonus”, because it encourages, through financial rewards, abuses in the use of deadly force, which in no way contribute to the effective security of the population.
In October, Governor Cláudio Castro (PL) vetoed the bonus, which had been approved with the support of his allied base, on the grounds that it would generate an increase in spending in a budgetary crisis scenario – Rio owes around 170 billion reais to the Union, and the fiscal recovery regime renewed in 2021 determines compliance with spending reduction targets.
However, last Thursday (18), MPs overturned the veto by 40 votes to 24, contradicting both budgetary wisdom and evidence from public security policies.
Something like the “Wild West bonus” was already in force in the state, between 1995 and 1998. At the time, research carried out by the Assembly of Rio de Janeiro itself in collaboration with the Institute of Religious Studies showed that the mortality rate in clashes between police and civilians increased from two deaths for each injured person before the bonus to four deaths for each injured person after its application.
According to the latest Brazilian Public Security Yearbook, Rio ranks seventh in terms of police mortality rate in 2024, with 4.1 deaths due to the intervention of security forces per 100,000 inhabitants. São Paulo and Minas Gerais, the only states more populous than Rio de Janeiro, are well below, in 15th (1.8 deaths per 100,000) and 22nd (0.9), respectively.
Alerj’s irresponsible action could encourage this rate to rise and reverse the decline in total police-caused deaths between 2023 (871) and 2024 (703).
In a legislative chamber grappling with members under investigation for suspected involvement in organized crime, the “Wild West gratification” is just an incentive to kill that overshadows effective actions – such as investigative intelligence, including on crime financing, the use of body cameras, the strengthening of internal affairs organs, and the integration of state and federal security agencies.
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