In 2020, the STF restricted police operations in Rio’s poor neighborhoods during the COVID-19 pandemic and required a plan to reduce police lethality. Minister Edson Fachin, the case’s rapporteur, ordered body cameras for all state police officers, emphasizing operations in favelas.
The Brazilian Public Security Forum reports that police lethality in Rio remains high, with 5.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in clashes in 2023, compared to a national rate of 1.8. However, following the STF’s decision, incidents of homicides and police killings have decreased significantly, with 871 deaths in 2023, down 52% from 1,814 in 2019.
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