State opens base and places more police officers at night in the center of S. Paul

Five days after a commercial establishment on Rua Santa Ifigênia was looted, governor Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans) inaugurated this Thursday, 1st, the headquarters of the Tactical Force Company of the 7th Metropolitan Battalion of the Military Police, on Rua Vitória, central region of São Paulo. During the event, the Secretary of Public Security of the State, Guilherme Derrite, also announced the expansion of the Delegated Operation (of police officers who earn extra pay when working on their days off in partnership with the municipal authorities) to the night period, specifically in the center .

Rua Vitória is one of the 11 roads that received traffic from Cracolândia last year, as shown by a survey carried out by Estadão. Over the last few months, however, the flow has been more concentrated on Rua dos Protestantes, on the outskirts of Estação da Luz. The investment for the operation of the new headquarters will be R$ 2.4 million over the lease contract, planned for five years.

Justification

As Major Rodrigo Vilardi, from the Analysis and Planning Coordination of the Public Security Secretariat (SSP), told the Estadão on Monday, 29th, the location must have a strategic function for the work of the Military Police. “In addition to valuing and providing a higher quality of work for police officers, it also provides occupation of the center, which is a necessity,” he said.

The initiatives to combat crime come at a time of strong repercussion over the scenes of a raid and looting of a security camera equipment store in Santa Ifigênia, on Saturday. Businessman José Paulo Souza, 64 years old, stated that he will close the establishment after a loss of R$300,000. Three suspects were arrested, according to the Public Security Secretariat (SSP).

“The Tactical Force will be closer to what we believe is important to carry out our public security operations. Overt policing is essential and will be reinforced in critical points, we will not give a respite to crime”, stated Tarcísio.

The Tactical Force occupied part of the headquarters of the 7th Metropolitan Battalion of the PM, on Avenida Angélica, in Higienópolis. With the transfer, the area around Praça da República and Campos Elísios will be patrolled with an additional 48 police officers and 16 vehicles, including six motorcycles. “The center is a priority in our management”, declared Derrite.

It is the second PM facility opened in the center of the capital in less than five months. In the second half of 2023, the region received the new headquarters of the 2nd Company of the 7th Metropolitan Battalion, on Rua Dom José de Barros, in the República neighborhood.

Night

One of the main complaints from traders in the Santa Ifigênia region refers to the lack of police at night. “During the day, it is relatively quiet, but the situation is dangerous when the stores close. The feeling of insecurity is very great”, said manager Ricardo Aquino, who has worked in this region for 17 years.

According to Secretary Derrite, a reinforcement of Operation Delegated, with support from City Hall, will operate at night starting this week, exactly in the region where the looting took place last week. Another cell phone establishment had been the target of a similar action, a dragnet, last year. “It is an increase in personnel, while Operation Summer is not over, which will bring more agents to the center”, he said, highlighting that with the end of the holidays and after the extended carnival break has passed, more agents will be available to work in São Paul.

Reservation and law

In the coming weeks, the region will have, according to state authorities, more than 600 police officers on the streets with the end of the special operation in coastal municipalities. At the same time, the Tarcísio government still intends to send a project to the Legislative Assembly that, once approved, will allow reserve and temporary military police officers to be used in administrative services.

The objective, with this, is to be able to release active military police officers so that they can be directed to policing activities. Hiring must take place through a notice. There is still no exact date for when the project should be sent to the state Legislature, but it is expected to come into force this year.

Balance

Last year, there was a drop in robberies, but thefts increased in the State, with emphasis on the activities of bicycle gangs and looting of commercial establishments. Violence in the center of São Paulo is identified by experts as one of the biggest public security problems in the capital, with cases of national repercussion.

The information is from the newspaper The State of S. Paulo.