Rio Police

Barely back from Costa Rica, where I spent Christmas and the beginning of the year documenting the coffee harvest and family farming, beginning of March I left town again to work in Brazil on several documentary projects over the period of three months.

Visiting Rio de Janeiro for the first time after the World Cup, I was curious whether I would notice any significant changes to the city. The first thing I noticed was the strong police presence in the streets of the so-called Zona Sul, the more touristy neighbourhoods. Having grown up in Brazil during the military dictatorship, I am used to the presence of armed police and security guards. But then ... I could not remember seeing so many police in the streets. In March, at the end of the Brazilian summer, the police seemed to be everywhere. Here a police car parked on a corner, there riding on the horses, on the beach, on bikes ... wherever I looked, I noticed the presence of the Military Police (the police force that patrols the streets). Curious, I went out to meet them and learn more about who they are and how the Military Police are organised ...