Pacifying Police Unit

The Unidades de Polícia Pacifica Dora ( Portuguese for " unity of the pacification police " ) or short UPP is a police unit in Brazil which was set up by the Government of the State of Rio de Janeiro and is part of the Military Police of the state. It was based originally on similar units in the formerly drug- infested Medellin, Colombia, where great success has been attributed. First units from 35 were set up in December 2008. Time for the FIFA World Cup 2014, the total strength of about 12,500 units of women and men to achieve.

Up to now enjoy more than 1.5 million Cariocas, as the residents living full of Rio de Janeiro are often called, in more than 220 communities pacified the services of the UPP. By 2014, another 860,000 residents of the metropolis arrive at Sugarloaf to benefit from UPP units in their neighborhood. UPP staff among other children when shopping and the retail sector has reported a sales increase of up to 36% in pacified areas.

Activities

The units of the UPP to after the storm of the favelas of Rio by units of Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais that have a skull and crossbones on their badges, and special units of the conventional national armed forces after the eradication of the worst criminals are permanently stationed there. The task here is to prevent reintroduction of drug syndicates and to embody a permanent presence of the rule of law.

Alone in the Complexo do Alemão, a complex of 25 favelas, to have been stationed more than 2,000 officers. The unit also occupied the, stormed 13 November 2011, Favela Rocinha occupy.

In October 2013, the unit had about 9,000 members.

Torture allegations

In October 2013 suspected investigating judge Ellen Souto members of the unit the murder of a mason from Rocinha. They should also have 22 other people in the favela tortured with electric shocks and hot wax. In the course of ten members of the unit were arrested on October 5 and 6, including the commander in Rocinha, Edson dos Santos, who had previously been deprived of his office.