National Force Sends more 300 Officers to Rio de Janeiro after Rise in Crimes

05/10/2017 - 13h07

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FROM RIO

Faced with the worsening of violence in Rio de Janeiro, the National Force arrived on Tuesday (9) with 300 officers - equivalent to 0.65% of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro.

According to the Ministry of Justice, the details for employment of the new staff are being defined by the National Department of Public Security, the ministry and the State Department of Security of Rio de Janeiro.

Ricardo Moraes/Reuters Special Operations Battalion (BOPE) policemen aim their weapons during an operation in Alemao slums complex after violent clashes between policemen and drug dealers in Rio de Janeiro

Two weeks ago, a police action in the Cidade Alta neighborhood frustrated the area's invasion by drug traffickers. At least two people died.

Data from the Public Security Institute (ISP, in its Portuguese acronym), linked to the State government, show that the rate of crimes with violent death - intentional homicide, theft followed by death, personal injury followed by death and homicide after opposition to the intervention of a police officer - is the highest since 2009. In 2016, the rate reached 37.6 per 100 thousand inhabitants.

The 300 officers of the National Force will join the 125 that have been in Rio de Janeiro´s capital since December, reinforcing the security of the Guanabara Palace, the seat of government, and the Alerj (Legislative Assembly) - they are deployed, for example, in protests of civil servants against budget cuts.

Translated by MARINA DELLA VALLE

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