A new report by Human Rights Watch has found that the investigations into the killings of 28 people by police during Operation Escudo in São Paulo state, Brazil, were "woefully inadequate" and did not meet international standards.
The report, titled "‘They Promised to Kill 30’: Police Killings in Baixada Santista, São Paulo State, Brazil," examines the initial steps of the police investigations into the killings. It finds that the investigations were rushed and incomplete, and that proper forensic analysis was not carried out.
Human Rights Watch also found that the São Paulo Attorney General's Office has not been transparent about the progress of the investigations, and that it has failed to provide information about the investigative steps taken.
According to Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch, "The initial investigations into the 28 killings by civil and 'scientific' police in São Paulo state have been woefully inadequate and do not meet international standards." She stressed the need for thorough, independent, and prompt investigations led by prosecutors, rather than relying on police investigators. In Brazil, civil police handle most criminal offense investigations and work closely with the 'scientific police,' responsible for forensic analysis.
The report concludes by calling on public security authorities in São Paulo, other states, and at the federal level to adopt protocols to prevent "revenge operations" following the killing of an officer. These steps should include ensuring that police officers receive psychological and social support and do not participate in operations in response to the officer's killing, requiring all officers to wear body cameras, and sending a written explanation with the operational plan to the Attorney General's Office and routinely informing the state police ombudsperson's office of all police operations initiated after a police officer is killed.
Brazil has long struggled with excessive use of force by the police. In 2022, police killed more than 6,400 people, and while some of these incidents may be justified as self-defense, many result from the excessive use of force, perpetuating a cycle of violence that threatens the lives of both civilians and law enforcement. Human Rights Watch has identified serious shortcomings in civil police investigations into police killings.
