Petrolina: lower crime rates in the Brazilian outback

Located in the sertão, or outback of Pernambuco, as the region is called, the municipality of Petrolina (photo) has become another model for violence reduction in Brazil. From January to June this year, the city of close to 300 thousand inhabitants recorded a 35.5% drop in the number of homicides with respect to the same period in 2008, (from 76 murders to 50). Security data also shows a 29.5% drop in the number of robberies (671 down to 473). The number of guns seized increased in 22.6%

According to the Municipal Secretary of Citizen Security, Murilo Cavalcanti, such positive results have to do with the joint work of the police forces, the mayor’s office, the judiciary and the Public Ministry, carrying out integrated actions. Town hall, for example, has rented vehicles and motorcycles making them available for both the military and the civil police forces: “Here everyone works in violence prevention,” said Cavalcanti.

In Cavalcanti’s view, the main issues to concern violence in Petrolina are social inequality and idle young people with nothing to do. “The combination of drugs, alcohol and the lack of a culture of non-violence contribute highly to trigger violent acts. We also must not overlook machismo, a male chauvinist culture that plays a role in increasing violence, especially against women,” said Cavalcanti.

Starting this past January, the secretary has been holding weekly meetings with the 5th battalion military police commander Colonel Carlos Pereira and with Civil Police Captain Glaukus Menk. They design strategies for joint actions based on the location and nature of crimes taking place. The municipal guard also has an important role in violence prevention, helping the police, providing assistance to locals in minor offenses, and boosting security around schools.

Colonel Carlos Pereira highlights the role of the Life Affirming Pact (Pacto pela Vida), the State Security Plan that stipulates integrated actions and cross-cutting initiatives that bring together federal, state and municipal offices and other agencies as well as civil society initiatives. According to Pereira, the community meets regularly with the Military Police and local community leaders inform the police of areas that are critical in their neighborhoods, so as to help plan action in local hot spots.

“The military police is permanently doing street policing. We have the Friendly Police program (Programa Polícia Amiga) that stimulates interactions of police officers with the community, helping to build trust. We run opinion polls of the services rendered, talks with commanders in local neighborhoods, as well as actions related to town hall, such as urban cleaning, public lighting and citizens’ drives,” said Pereira.

The commander notes that there are weekly meetings held with security agencies and representatives from the corrections system, traffic authorities, the women’s police stations, local businesses and banks. “We use this information to boost street policing according to the demand of these various sectors of society” said he.

According to Colonel Pereira, every homicide is analyzed by the battalion in the weekly meetings of security agencies, the judiciary and town hall. Cases of assault and homicide are also taken to the Criminal Analysis and Statistics (Gace) of the Social Defense Office of Pernambuco. Gace also collects information from the Municipal Health Office, the Coroner’s Office (IML) and other agencies, so as to correct data for deaths ensuing from crimes previously recorded as assault.
The statistical data, according to the Colonel, are discussed in monthly meetings according to a ‘management through results’ model implemented by the state government. Public security data from Petrolina will be divulged twice a year.

More arrests, less insecurity

Another factor to count towards falling crime rates is also a perceived improvement in the quality of investigations. In the first semester of 2009, as compared with the same period in the previous year, there was an increase in the number of investigations completed and forwarded to the judiciary, this increase amounted to 314% for homicide investigations and 78% for commonplace offenses.

According to captain Glaukus Menck, this results from a bigger investment made by the state government that allowed for increasing the number of police officers and for training special homicide teams in the two police precincts of the city. “We tripled the rate of crime resolution. In 2008 we solved 20% of criminal cases. In the first half of 2009, we solved 60%”, said Menck.

Another positive result is the 42.2% increase in arrests made through warrants. Menck believes this is due to the Malhas da Lei Operation in which military and civil police officers carry out arrest warrants in civilian clothing. “This year we have already implemented 84 arrest warrants. We are first in the sertão area of Pernambuco, “he said. According to the police captain, the civil and military police forces are so deeply integrated in Petrolina that there are officers of one force working at the other’s headquarters.

Colonel Pereira agrees: “It is practically a single police force.” The commander adds that the judiciary also contributes towards the quality of work, by providing access to procedures so that police officers can learn more about cases, the victims and witnesses. In his view, to reduce the sense of impunity is one of the key points in adopting a culture of peace. “If you are certain that if you commit a crime you will go to jail, you will think twice,” said the colonel.

Violence prevention programs

Although overall levels of violence fell, domestic violence grew by 6.4%, which does not mean necessarily that this kind of violence has increased, but may be an indication that people are reporting such acts in greater numbers.

In the secretary’s view, Petrolina’s drop in violence also has to do with joint preventive actions such as talks given in schools, job training for youths, and the coming together of programs that foster a culture of non-violence, such as the Pró-jovem, Vida Nova, Segundo Tempo and Judo with Citizenship.

Photos: stock

Translated by Lis Horta Moriconi