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STF Ruling Requires Continuous Recording Body Cameras for São Paulo’s PM; Police Lethality Reaches Highest Rate in Last 5 Years and Abuse Cases Shock the Nation.
On Monday (9), the President of the Supreme Court (STF), Minister Luís Roberto Barroso, determined that the military police of the state of São Paulo (PM de São Paulo) must be required to use body cameras in their operations. The measure, which includes the use of equipment with continuous recording, fulfills a request made by the state Public Defender’s Office and aims to combat cases of police violence and increase transparency in public security actions.
The decision was made following recent episodes involving abuses committed by military police officers, including intentional shutdowns of body cameras. Barroso emphasized the importance of the continuous recording model to protect fundamental rights, especially the right to life. “It is essential to maintain the current model of continuous recording, under penalty of violating the constitutional prohibition on regression,” stated the minister.
Request Granted After One Year of Waiting
The request to make body cameras mandatory for the PM de São Paulo has been pending in the STF since December of last year. In the document, the state Public Defender’s Office cited the need for effective measures to curb police lethality, which has seen a significant increase in 2024.
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Governor of São Paulo Acknowledges Error
The STF’s decision comes just days after the Governor of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas (Republicans), publicly admitted he was wrong in his criticisms of the use of body cameras by the Military Police. The acknowledgment came after the fallout from a shocking video in which a military police officer is seen throwing a man off a bridge in the south zone of the capital.
“I admit it, I was wrong. I was mistaken, and I have no problem saying that. I had a misguided view about the importance of cameras,” declared Tarcísio to reporters. According to him, the state government now commits to intensifying the use of these devices in the daily lives of police officers.
Body Cameras as a Tool for Security and Justice
Tarcísio de Freitas also emphasized that the government’s goal is to ensure legal security for PM de São Paulo professionals while leaving no room for abuses. “The discourse of legal security must not be confused with a safe conduct to violate rules or commit excesses,” he said.
The measure, in addition to promoting greater transparency, seeks to regain the population’s trust and prevent tragedies like those recently recorded. With the mandatory use of body cameras, the expectation is to reduce police lethality and ensure that PM de São Paulo operates within legal and ethical parameters.
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