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Policing Favelas

by bob moser C1 advanced

GLOSSARY
1 law enforcement: de segurana pblica 2 slums: favelas 3 having been driven out: terem sido expulsos 4 scared: amedrontadas, assustadas 5 wave of gang recruits: leva de recrutados das quadrilhas 6 sponsored: patrocinado 7 to further study: estudar mais a fundo 8 partnership: parceria 9 ranks: est classificado 10 an average of...: uma mdia de... 14 fourteen

aw enforcement1 authorities from the U.S. and other countries have taken an interest in Rio de Janeiros new police pacification units (known as UPPs), which have placed hundreds of officers inside Rios slums2 to help ensure drug traffickers dont retake the communities after having been driven out3 by police and military earlier this year. Brazilian and american authorities are learning together that the keys to success may not lie in the number of officers stationed in a slum, or their ability to keep drugs and guns out of homes. Rio police may do their best work by sitting down with scared4 children, exchanging life stories, and showing Rios next wave of gang recruits5 that police arent their enemy. When young people and police share who they are, thats breaking down stereotypes and opening a relationship that hasnt been there before, said Jim Isenberg, instructor in community policing programs and a director with the north american Family Institute. He was one of two american law enforcement consultants that visited Rio in april, as part of a five-day tour sponsored6 by state and city police of Rio de Janeiro, a local nGO and

the U.S. consulate in Rio. especially in community policing like the UPP in Rio, supporting people talking to each other as easy as that sounds is key to building a new foundation. Rios state security office has received numerous requests from foreign diplomats and international law enforcement agencies that want to further study7 the UPP experience in Brazil. Rio security officials were even invited to Geneva, Switzerland, earlier this year to speak to a United nations panel on ways to replicate Brazils UPP program in other countries. Besides the partnership8 with the U.S. consulate, countries like costa Rica, england, argentina and chile have taken steps to learn about Rios UPP model for use in their own major cities that are troubled by gang violence. american officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation have visited Rio de Janeiro to help local police create infrastructure that would help reduce the number of deaths of Rio police officers, which ranks9 among the worst in the world with an average of10 about 124 per year. The FBI has already helped Rio police create a virtual command center in the city

to serve as a database for recording information online that can be accessed and updated11 in real time by various security agencies, like the civil Police, Military Police, Federal Police, Highway Patrol and Municipal Guard. This type of easily accessible data for all branches12 of Brazilian law enforcement exists in only a handful13 of cities in the country. The UPP program is still a work in progress, as are the training and community outreach14 efforts being developed by Isenberg, local non-profit15 group Parceiros Brasil and others. Finding ways for police to become stewards16 of information for favela residents on everything from how to pay utility bills17 to higher education is one of many options for expansion being considered by UPP planners. Youve got a young population there in the favelas, and a real opportunity of building trust and future leaders. Its worth the societys effort to reach out to change young people in the favelas, where they say they want a democratic community that respects people, Isenberg said. Since their initial visit in april, american consultants have continued working with the US consulate and Parceiros Brasil on

ways to find the funding18 necessary to establish a full-time favela relations program for the UPP. Rio police dont have the budget19 to cover additional UPP costs that would come from youth-police relations programs. You have people who want to do this ,and were trying to make it happen, trying to identify funding and make sure it meets all the needs that are truly Brazilian, Isenberg said. Showing there can be a healthy relationship with police is the plan, and it wont happen overnight20.

FellIPe aBReU

A experincia das UPPs (Unidades de Polcia Pacificadora)foi sem dvida uma importante inovao no combate aos domnios do trfico nas reas mais pobres da Cidade Maravilhosa, despertando o interesse de vrios outros pases. Resta, porm, a pergunta: como poderia dar mais certo do que tem dado atualmente? Os estudos a respeito j comearam.

in Rio

GLOSSARY
11 to update: atualizar 12 branches: agncias, ramos, filiais 13 handful: algumas poucas, um punhado 14 outreach efforts: esforos para ajudar, alcanar (a comunidade) 15 non-profit group: entidade sem fins lucrativos, OnG 16 stewards: cuidadores, zeladores 17 utility bills: contas domsticas 18 funding: recursos financeiros, custeio 19 budget: oramento 20 overnight: do dia para a noite

Police officers from a UPP station in the Dona Marta favela in Botafogo (above) spend most of their day in the community, patrolling the streets and spending time with local residents and business owners. Below, a view from the top of Dona Marta favela.

thirty-one 15