The Police in Brazil are going to use a trial run for the tactic ‘license to kill’ according to newly elected Governor Wilson Witzel.
Teams of marksmen next year will patrol swaths of Rio de Janeiro with high-powered weapons and a license to kill, said a security adviser to Governor-elect Wilson Witzel.
 As many as 120 sharpshooters will accompany police incursions into the slums of Brazil’s postcard city to exterminate gun-toting criminals, according to Flavio Pacca, a longtime associate of Witzel who the governor-elect’s press office said will join the administration. The shooters will work in pairs — one to pull the trigger, one to monitor conditions and videotape deaths.
“The protocol will be to immediately neutralize, slaughter anyone who has a rifle,†Witzel, a federal judge and former Brazilian marine, told reporters in Brasilia on Dec. 12. “Whoever has a rifle isn’t worried about other people’s lives, they’re ready to eliminate anyone who crosses their path. This is a grave problem, not just in Rio de Janeiro, but also in other states.â€
According to government statistics, there was an 8 year high in homicides at 5,346. Muggings and robberies also have doubled since 2011.
There are the few things that need to happen for this policy to be a success.
The first is that only criminals must be targeted. Owning a firearm should not make you a criminal but the criminals should not own firearms.
The Second is that this should be a temporary policy and not the norm. I am all for tough policing as well as Police using firearms when necessary. However, once the criminal gangs are weakened and destroyed they should look to move to a Policing that will help build up these slums. one that is tough on crime as well as rehabilitating those who can.
Overall, it seems that this policy would be great for Brazil. They are smart to have video recording all of this to prove to the do-gooders that they are targeting criminals.
