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City Hall Accelerates Announcement for New Armed Municipal Guard and Opens Selection Before Final Vote; Controversial Project Proposes Temporary Hiring with High Salaries, Tactical Training, and Use of Firearms by Agents in Strategic Public Areas.
The City Hall of Rio de Janeiro took an important step towards the creation of its new Armed Guard, announcing the announcement for the selection of 600 agents who will make up this specialized force.
The announcement was published in the Official Gazette last Wednesday (4), even before the final vote in the City Council that formalizes the bill for the new guard.
The selection process opens applications for current active members of the Municipal Guard and provides for two classes with 300 vacancies each.
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Candidates will undergo rigorous stages that include document analysis, verification of professional qualifications, psychological evaluations, physical fitness tests, and medical examinations.
The expectation is that the names of the approved candidates will be announced starting in August, when technical, theoretical, and practical training, especially in the handling of firearms, will begin.
This new division will be responsible for directly combatting small offenses, such as thefts and robberies in public spaces, as well as intensifying preventive policing in strategic areas of the city.
Salary and Structure of the New Guard
The salary offered to agents who join this elite force is notable for being higher than that of many state police officers.
In addition to the base salary, agents will receive a bonus of R$ 10,283.48, which can raise the total compensation to over R$ 13,000 for temporary members.
For comparison, the starting salary of a military police officer in Rio de Janeiro is around R$ 5,200, according to the most recent announcement released in 2023.
This salary discrepancy has reignited debates about the functions of the new guard, the hiring model adopted, and the structure of the corporation itself.
Temporary Hiring Generates Controversy
One of the most discussed controversies is the possibility of hiring temporary agents to make up the force.
The project allows for the hiring of these professionals for an initial period of up to one year, renewable up to five times, i.e., a total of up to six years.
In this regime, the expected salary is R$ 13,033, consisting of base salary, risk bonus, and the same bonuses as permanent armed guards.
This temporary format raises questions among lawmakers and public safety experts.
Criticism from Lawmakers and Operational Challenges
Councilor Pedro Duarte (Novo) is one of the critics and warns of the social and operational risks of a guard primarily composed of temporary agents.
According to him, “public safety requires stability and rigorous training, as it deals with firearms and life risks.”
Duarte argues that temporary hiring should be exceptional and limited to specific situations, such as major sporting events or temporary emergencies.
Additionally, he highlights the high costs for the city hall in training these agents, who must meet Federal Police requirements for handling firearms, including a minimum number of shots fired in practice.
“The problem is that after six years, these qualified and trained professionals may end up unemployed and become vulnerable labor, which can be exploited by criminal organizations,” the councilor warned.
Trends and Examples in Other Cities
The debate about the creation of the Armed Guard of Rio reflects a growing trend in large Brazilian cities that seek to reinforce local security with trained and armed municipal agents, but it also highlights challenges for defining assignments, legal regimes, and budgets.
Other municipalities, such as São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, have armed guards that work in partnership with state police, which sets an important precedent for Rio.
Relevance of Training and Technology
Public safety experts emphasize that the success of this new force depends on clarity in the rules, good training, and integration with other security forces, in addition to public policies that go beyond visible policing.
Investment in technology, such as body cameras, and social control are also seen as essential to prevent abuses and ensure the effectiveness of the Armed Guard.
Unresolved Questions
There are still important unanswered questions: what will be the final hiring model?
Will agents be allowed to take firearms home?
Will there be mandatory use of body cameras?
These questions permeate discussions surrounding the project and will influence the acceptance of the population and the municipal agents themselves.
Expectations and Impact for the Population
Meanwhile, the announcement published by the city hall keeps the expectations of the Carioca society, which endures the wear of daily insecurity, for a security force that can act with more effectiveness and proximity.
Do you believe that creating an armed municipal guard with temporary contracts and high salaries is the best solution for the security of Rio de Janeiro? Or are there other more effective ways to protect the people of Rio?
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