The general director of the Federal Highway Police (PRF), Antônio Fernando Souza Oliveira, said this Thursday (26) that the corporation investigates all cases of excesses during police stops made by its agents.
In an interview with Repórter Brasil, from TV Brasilbroadcaster of Brazilian Communications Company (EBC)the director commented on the performance of the three police officers temporarily removed after being accused of shoot at a family’s car on Christmas Eve, in Duque de Caxias (RJ). A 26-year-old woman struck by gunfire is hospitalized in serious condition.
According to Oliveira, all cases of suspected illegality during approaches are investigated by the PRF.
“We will be investigating any and all cases of excess, giving our agents the possibility of defending themselves, respecting the legal process so that we can get to the real truth of the facts”, he stated.
During the interview, the director also said that the corporation takes measures to combat police lethality, such as continuous training of agents to reinforce that the corporation must act within the limits of the law and the creation of a commission to monitor lethality cases.
“Today, I can say that the PRF is the ostensible preventive police with the lowest police lethality”, he guaranteed.
Fernando Oliveira stated that he defends the use of body cameras by police officers. Since last year, an internal PRF committee has been working to implement the equipment, which is already used by agents in all units across the country.
“The body camera is an element of protection of police activity. I am a staunch defender of the use of body cameras. The PRF will use body cameras throughout its corporation, every police officer will use it”, he added.
Victim
Juliana Leite Rangel, 26 years old, was shot in the head during a PRF action on Rodovia Washington Luís (BR-040), on Tuesday night (24).
The victim was going with his family of five to spend Christmas at his relatives’ house in Itaipu, Niterói, metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro, when the car was hit by several shots fired by PRF agents, near Duque de Caxias, in Baixada Fluminense.
The shots occurred around 9 p.m. The young woman was taken to the Adão Pereira Nunes Municipal Hospital, in Caxias, and needed to be intubated, underwent surgery and the health condition is considered very serious.
After the episode, the police officers involved in the incident were removed.
