Entity points to a drop in investments in the professionalization of the force

In the first eight months of this year, the police in the state of São Paulo killed more than the total recorded in the same period in 2022 and 2023. Until August 2024, 441 people were killed by police officers on duty, while in the previous two years , the victims totaled 423, with 176 of the deaths occurring in 2022 and 247 in 2023, considering the same period.

The survey, carried out by the Sou da Paz Institute based on data from the Public Security Secretariat (SSP) of São Paulo, shows an increase of 78.5% in deaths committed by police officers on duty between January and August 2024 compared to the year previous. The state killed, on average, 1.8 victims per day this year.

She added that the state has already stood out as a reference for the country in relation to the correct use of force, protecting police officers and the population. “But it seems that this topic no longer fits into the current administration’s agenda of priorities,” he stated.

According to the Sou da Paz Institute, the increase in on-duty police lethality during the period occurred in practically all regions of the state. Only the Interior Judiciary Police Department (Deinter) of Ribeirão Preto recorded a reduction in these deaths. Deinter de Bauru and São José do Rio Preto more than tripled the number of deaths in the period compared to 2023. In the metropolitan region, Deinter de Santos and Sorocaba recorded more than double the number of victims.

In relation to the profile of victims, the survey also showed a significant increase in the number of black people who were victims of police lethality while on duty. In the black population – black and brown – the number of victims increased by 83.8% and, in the white population, by 58.6%. From January to August, São Paulo police killed 283 black people, 129 more victims than in the same period the previous year.

According to the census, black and brown people represent 34.6% of the population in the state of São Paulo. However, Sou da Paz highlights that, historically, the percentage of black police victims has always been much higher than this in the state. “Still, in the first eight months of 2024, it is possible to observe that the percentage of black victims of police lethality reached its highest level in the last six years”, concluded the entity.

“The racial profile of violence and police lethality is a characteristic of the actions of security forces throughout Brazil, especially in relation to black men and young people”, said, in a note, the Project Coordinator of the Sou da Paz Institute, Rafael Rock. He highlighted that, in recent years, the state of São Paulo and its police have increased the percentage of fatal black victims, which goes against the debate on the need for public security policies with an anti-racist bias.

In a statement, the São Paulo Public Security Secretariat emphasizes that deaths resulting from police intervention are the result of suspects’ reaction to police action. “All cases of deaths resulting from police intervention that occur in São Paulo are rigorously investigated by the Civil and Military police, with monitoring by the respective internal affairs departments, the Public Ministry and the Judiciary.”

To reduce lethality, the secretariat says it continually invests in staff training, acquisition of equipment with less offensive potential and in public policies. “The state security forces carry out approaches following technical parameters and procedures with absolute respect for the law”, highlights the text. Also according to the secretariat, since training and throughout their career, police officers undergo courses that include disciplines of human rights, social equality, gender diversity and anti-racist actions.