Anyone Who Offends a Military Police Officer in São Paulo is Risking Their Life, Declares Governor

05/15/2018 - 12h17

São Paulo's Governor, Márcio França (PSB Party) said on Monday (the 14th) that anyone who offends the uniform of the Military Police (PM), offends the integrity of the whole corporation, and is putting their life at risk.

"People have to understand that their uniform (PM) is sacred, it is an extension of the flag of the State of São Paulo. If you offend the uniform, you are offending the integrity of the police as a whole, and you are putting your life at risk. That's how it has to be", declared the Governor, in Araçatuba (State of SP).

The declaration was yet one more chapter in the story of military policewoman Katia da Silva Sastre, 42, who on last Saturday killed a thief during an attempted armed robbery in front of a school in Suzano, in the greater São Paulo metropolitan area.

	REPRODUCAO/TV RECORD
	According to the Military Police, the 21-year-old suspect was carrying a.38 caliber revolver and had already approached other mothers awaiting the opening of the gate, as well as having searched the school's security to see if he was armed

	REPRODUCAO/TV RECORD, NAS RUAS
	On last Saturday, Military policewoman Katia da Silva Sastre, 42, killed a thief during an attempted armed robbery in front of a school in Suzano

The Governor went against the strategy and wishes of the Military Police itself by organizing a ceremony lauding the captain.

This is because an official act extolling the police officer could send an unambiguous message to the other troops and incentivize common people to react against armed assailants - which goes against the express advice of the police.

Another reason is that the killing of thieves is seen by the police corporation as something incentivized by the Government, after a sharp increase in recent years in the number of deaths caused by the police - an increase of 10% in 2017, to 943 cases, the highest number since 2001.

Translated by LLOYD HARDER

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