The State Council for the Defense of Human Rights (Condepe) questioned, late this Monday afternoon (11), at the São Paulo City Council, the four candidates for the position of ombudsman for the São Paulo State Police. The meeting serves to support the councilors’ votes in the election that will define the triple list to be forwarded to governor Tarcísio de Freitas. 
The governor will have until December 23rd to choose who will lead the Ombudsman’s Office from January 2025.
The ombudsman’s mission is to receive complaints about police officers who have committed excesses or conduct that goes against the corporation’s purposes and principles. The ombudsman does not have the power to investigate facts, but forwards complaints to the Internal Affairs Department, which has the duty to investigate them.
The president of Conepe, Adilson Sousa Santiago, who mediated the hearing, highlighted that the notice for applications was published in August.
During the hearing, each candidate had up to 10 minutes to present themselves, in an order defined by draw and, afterwards, counselors directed questions to them. The questions addressed, among other topics, the delay in implementing the Unified Public Security System (Susp), which should have been in force for more than six years. Susp was designed by Law No. 13,675/2018 to unify national information and data from all corporations.
Condepe members also asked the candidates about the possibility of making the ombudsman’s report public. One of the counselors mentioned the Public Security Constitutional Amendment Proposal (PEC), which aims, for example, to include the Susp in the Federal Constitution and standardize protocols.
The first candidate to speak was popular educator Luana de Oliveira, 42 years old, who introduced herself as a single mother and a black woman with light skin. Luana reported that she grew up in a very violent and vulnerable territory, in Favela Cai Cai, in the south of São Paulo, and that she sees herself as “a survivor of the 1990s”.
“We literally jumped over bodies to get to work or play in the street,” he said.
The candidate, the only female, also identifies as “feminist, but not of hegemonic feminism” and therefore hopes to count on the engagement and commitment of men in decisions. She, however, recognizes that women are the main victims of State violence as well as in the domestic environment. Furthermore, he highlighted that female police officers deserve more attention and protection during the exercise of their profession, where many abuses occur. For her, the solution is to consolidate the ombudsman, among them, as a safe and reliable channel.
Luana criticized the current management for not having structured an advisory council, a fundamental space to guarantee a participatory model of civil society.
“We have never had a female ombudsman. So, I understand that this is quite significant”, he summarized.
Current chief of staff at the ombudsman’s office and second draw, lawyer Mauro Caseri denied embarrassment when competing with Claudio Aparecido da Silva, current ombudsman and advisor. According to him, the decision to go ahead in the race was made after a “long conversation” with the ombudsman, from which he came away with the conviction that his colleague’s management had a positive result and that if he is chosen, he would be “someone who can continue the this work.”
“I have a cause, that of the underprivileged, the underprivileged”, he began, upon reading the presentation letter, in which he cited extensive experience in public administration, with ex-prisoners, especially women, and accumulated over 50 years of residence in the region. do Glicério, in the center of the capital of São Paulo.
Third candidate, the lawyer, former councilor and former state counselor for Human Rights Valdison da Anunciação Pereira recalled the time when his mother warned him about police violence, when he was young, and highlighted that his experience as a socio-educational agent contributed to their perception regarding public safety.
“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the resistance that they forged and brought me here. If there is an ombudsman that fulfills its institutional role and carries out the necessary confrontation, in the face of the atrocities committed, know that this is the result of the black movement”, he thanked, to stating that, because his parents were members of collective groups, he dedicates his life to struggles.
The fourth candidate and current police ombudsman, Claudio Aparecido da Silva, stated that, during the period in which he held the role, he sought to remain fully committed to work and civil society. One of the points that believes changes are necessary is the lack of criteria in choosing those occupying command positions in corporations, considering that professionals with less experience often end up leading more experienced ones.
“We have carried out all the confrontations”, he stated, adding that he is committed to the existence of “a more humane police force”.
Claudio Aparecido da Silva was present at several events organized by social movements and families of victims of police actions. One case he followed was that of Paraisópolis.
