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Measure requires an official plan within 90 days to re-implement body cameras in the Santa Catarina Military Police, expands oversight in sensitive operations, and establishes high financial penalties in case of non-compliance.
The Santa Catarina Justice determined that the state government present an official plan to resume the use of body cameras in the Santa Catarina Military Police (PMSC). Additionally, the decision establishes strict rules for the mandatory use of equipment in operations considered more sensitive.
The information was disclosed by “NSC Total,” based on documents from the 2nd Public Treasury Court of the Capital and statements from the Santa Catarina Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPSC). The case reignited the debate on police transparency, control of the use of force, and reduction of lethality in operations conducted by the PM.
The decision partially meets the requests made by the 40th Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Capital District, responsible for the external control of police activity, in a public civil action filed by the Santa Catarina Public Defender’s Office.
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The corporation’s body camera program had been terminated in September 2024 by decision of the Military Police command. Since then, organizations linked to human rights and the justice system have questioned the interruption of the project.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the suspension occurred without a technically adequate justification. Furthermore, the State did not present a substitute public policy for monitoring police actions.
Public Prosecutor’s Office states that cameras help reduce deaths in police operations
In the document signed by Justice Prosecutor Jádel da Silva Júnior, head of the 40th Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Capital, the MPSC highlighted that body cameras are fundamental to increasing the transparency of police approaches.
Additionally, the agency stated that the equipment helps protect fundamental rights, strengthen the production of evidence, and control the use of force during Military Police operations.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the recordings also protect the police officers themselves. This happens because the recordings allow for a more accurate analysis of approaches and occurrences.
Another important point involves the data produced by the Criminal Statistics and Analysis Center of the State Department of Public Safety. The survey indicated that periods with less use of body cameras coincided with an increase in the number of deaths resulting from police interventions in Santa Catarina.
For the MPSC, the numbers reinforce the need to resume the program as a strategy to reduce police lethality and expand the oversight of operations.
Furthermore, the Public Prosecutor’s Office requested that the use of cameras become mandatory in specific situations. Among them are entries into residences without a judicial warrant, public demonstrations, repossessions, civil disturbance operations, and domestic violence incidents.
Subsequently, the agency reiterated the requests and stated that the technical report presented by the Military Police indicated a need for program restructuring, not its complete interruption.
Justice sets a 90-day deadline and a daily fine of R$ 50,000
In the decision, the 2nd Public Treasury Court denied the request for the Public Prosecutor’s Office to act as a co-plaintiff alongside the Public Defender’s Office. Even so, the MPSC will continue to participate in the process as a law overseer.
With this, the agency remains authorized to present statements, request investigations, and appeal judicial decisions related to the case.
The magistrate ordered the progressive reimplementation of the body camera program with new technology. Additionally, it was established that the equipment should be used primarily in operations without a judicial warrant, disturbance control actions, and domestic violence incidents.
The decision also requires the State to present, within 90 days, a detailed plan containing an implementation schedule, estimated costs, funding sources, operational protocols, and criteria for program expansion.
If the government fails to comply with the determination, it may face a daily fine of R$ 50,000.
Furthermore, the Justice ordered the creation of a Permanent Intersectoral Committee within a maximum period of one year. The group should monitor, oversee, and propose improvements for the functioning of the body camera program.
The committee will include representatives from the state Executive, Military Police, Judiciary, Public Prosecutor’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Brazilian Bar Association – Santa Catarina Section, and civil society entities related to human rights and public security.
State will also have to create a plan to reduce police lethality
The court decision goes beyond the resumption of body cameras. The State will also have to create public indicators to monitor the program’s results.
This data should be updated semi-annually. In this way, society will be able to monitor the impact of the measure on police operations.
Additionally, the government of Santa Catarina will have up to 180 days to present a state plan aimed at reducing police lethality.
If these obligations are not met, the State may receive a daily fine of R$ 20,000.
In recent years, the debate over body cameras on military police officers has gained traction in different Brazilian states. While proponents argue that the technology increases transparency and reduces abuses, critics question operational costs and technical difficulties.
Even so, public security experts argue that electronic monitoring strengthens the relationship between the population and police forces.
In Santa Catarina, the judicial decision increases the pressure on the state government and reinforces a national trend of adopting technologies for monitoring police actions.
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