Police and market: the creation of pacifying Police units in Rio de Janeiro
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Date
2018
Authors
Schembida de Oliveira, Romulo Estevan
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Abstract
This study focuses on the creation of the Pacifying Police Units in Rio de Janeiro and the close connection between public and private interests in this program. This research explores the benefits and the trade-offs of private sponsorship in light of the UPP program. The UPP was developed to promote an alternative way to deal with drug trafficking in the favelas. Amongst the UPP’s innovations are the community-oriented approaches for policing the communities, the permanent occupation of locations undermined by drug trafficking, and the combination of law enforcement with social policies that intended to reduce the gap between wealthy districts and the favelas, seeking the integration of the “divided-city”. One of the most remarkable innovations in this project was its proactive action to attract private sponsorship. This enables the UPPs to absorb some market features, such as the massive publicity; as well as to address some potential market interests in the city. For instance, the geography of the UPPs prioritized favelas close to affluent zones and tourist spots in the city. The selection of Brazil to host the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games also helps to explain why and how public and private organizations were put together through the UPP project. Between 2008 and 2012, the Pacifying Police Units contributed to the reduction of violence in Rio, improving the level of police legitimacy in the city. After 2016, crime rates in the city returned to previous levels, before the UPPs. This has led many to believe that the project failed in promoting long-term security in Rio, and that the project should be discontinued.
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Keywords
Pluralization of Police, Risk Society, Private Sponsorship, Police Reform
Citation
APA