Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State

State Police of Rio de Janeiro Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Abbreviation	PMERJ
Blazon of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State
Old badge of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State
Motto	To serve and protect Servir e proteger
Agency overview
Formed	May 13, 1809
Employees	52,000 (2014)
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Map of police jurisdiction.
Size	43.696,054 km² (16,871.1 sp mi)
Population	16,010,429 (2009)
General nature	Law enforcement Gendarmerie
Operational structure
Headquarters	City of Rio de Janeiro
Website
Official website
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State (Portuguese: Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) (PMERJ) like other military polices in Brazil is a reserve and ancillary force of the Brazilian Army, and part of the System of Public Security and Brazilian Social Protection.^[1] Its members are called "State Military" person.^[2]

The primary mission of PMERJ is ostensibly preventive policing for the maintenance of public order in the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Under the United Nations, in cooperation with the Brazilian Army, the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State has served in Angola, Mozambique, East-Timor, Sudan, and Haiti.

History

The first militarized police in Portugal (when Brazil was still a colony) was the Royal Police Guard of Lisbon (Portuguese: Guarda Real de Polícia de Lisboa), established in 1801,^[3] which followed the model of the National Gendarmerie (French: Gendarmerie Nationale) of France, created in 1791.

When the Portuguese Royal Family was transferred to Brazil, the Royal Police Guard of Lisbon remained in Portugal, and another equivalent guard was created in Rio de Janeiro under the name of Military Division of the Royal Police Guard of Rio de Janeiro, in 1809.^[4]

With the abdication of Emperor Pedro I in 1831, the Regency held reformulations on the Brazilian Armed Forces. The Royal Guard Police of Rio de Janeiro became extinct,^[5] and was replaced by the Municipal Guard Corps of Volunteers,^[6] a type of security force similar to the National Guard. The same law allowed each Province to establish its own Guard of Volunteers.

In 1834, Pedro I died in Portugal and this reduced the fear in Brazil of a reunification of the kingdoms. The Guard of Volunteers were then transformed into Province Police Corps, with professional troops.^[7] The Police Corps were created with the same structure as Brazilian Army, and to serve as reserve troops when necessary, under provinces presidents' control. In 1835, the president of Rio de Janeiro province created the "Rio de Janeiro Province Police Corp" (Guarda Policial da Província do Rio de Janeiro).

With the Proclamation of the Republic, Brazil adopted a constitution based on the United States, where the states have a large autonomy. The Corps of Police werw renames Public Forces (Força Pública) and began to be administered by the states governors and became smaller regional armies, with infantry, cavalry, artillery, and later, even with air forces. This dangerous situation to the national security remained until the rise of Getúlio Vargas dictatorial government in 1930s, when he abolished states autonomy, after Constitutionalist Revolution and Estado Novo coup, and the Brazilian army began its control over states military polices and military firefighters corps - including the then Federal District Military Police, which served the city during its days as the national capital city until 1960, alongside the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State, which was separated from the city, until both organizations were merged in 1975.

Organization

The PMERJ is operationally organized into Intermediary Commands or Policing Area Command (Portuguese: Comandos Intermediários/Comandos de Policiamento de Área), Military Police Battalions, companies, and platoons; and administratively, in departments. Independent companies police sizable towns.

Police officers in the favela of Rocinha.

The battalions are based in major urban centers, and their companies and platoons are distributed according to population density in cities.
The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro is present in all cities of the State.

Commands and Battalions of Military Police

These are the Policing Area Commands and their respective battalions. Cities and neighborhoods indicate the location of their headquarters.

Police cruisers in Copacabana beach.

1st Policing Area Command – city of Rio de Janeiro
- 1st Battalion – Estácio
- 2nd Battalion – Botafogo
- 3rd Battalion – Méier
- 4th Battalion – São Cristovão
- 5th Battalion – Saúde
- 6th Battalion – Tijuca
- 13th Battalion – Downtown
- 16th Battalion – Olaria
- 17th Battalion – Ilha do Governador
- 19th Battalion – Copacabana
- 22nd Battalion – Maré
- 23rd Battalion – Leblon
- 1st Independent Company (Governor's Palace Guard) – Laranjeiras
2nd Policing Area Command – city of Rio de Janeiro
- 9th Battalion – Rocha Miranda
- 14th Battalion – Bangu
- 18th Battalion – Jacarepaguá
- 27th Battalion – Santa Cruz
- 31st Battalion – Barra da Tijuca
- 40th Battalion – Campo Grande
- 41st Battalion – Irajá
3rd Policing Area Command – city of Mesquita
- 15th Battalion – city of Duque de Caxias
- 20th Battalion – city of Mesquita
- 21st Battalion – city of São João de Meriti
- 24th Battalion – city of Queimados
- 34th Battalion – city of Magé
- 39th Battalion – city of Belford Roxo
4th Policing Area Command – city of Niterói
- 7th Battalion – city of São Gonçalo
- 12th Battalion – city of Niterói
- 25th Battalion – city of Cabo Frio
- 35th Battalion – city of Itaboraí

Composition of a unit of the Polícia Pacificadora (UPP), here on the occasion of the ceremony for the change of command of the units.

5th Policing Area Command – city of Volta Redonda
- 10th Battalion – city of Barra do Piraí
- 28th Battalion – city of Volta Redonda
- 33rd Battalion – city of Angra dos Reis
- 37th Battalion – city of Resende
6th Policing Area Command – city of Campos dos Goytacazes
- 8th Battalion – city of Campos dos Goytacazes
- 29th Battalion – city of Itaperuna
- 32nd Battalion – city of Macaé
- 36th Battalion – city of Santo Antônio de Pádua

Group of police (PMERJ) conducting patrols during an event on the Copacabana beach.

7th Policing Area Command – city of Petrópolis
- 11th Battalion – city of Nova Friburgo
- 26th Battalion – city of Petrópolis
- 30th Battalion – city of Teresópolis
- 38th Battalion – city of Três Rios

Riot control police units in action, 2014.

Special Units

Mounted Police Regiment;
2 Highway Patrol Battalions;
5 Environmental Protection Units;
Pacifying Police Unit;
Riot Control Battalion;
Special Police Operations Battalion.
Police Operations with Dogs Battalion (K-9 Unit)
Railway Police Groupment;
Airmobile Groupment;
Maritime Groupment.

Administrative Commands

Department of Education:
- Dom João VI Military Police Academy (to officer cadets);
- Military Police Formation Center (to non-commissioned officers and soldiers).
Department of Logistic Support.
Department of Personnel.
Department of Finance.
Department of Intelligence.
Department of Social Assistance (welfare).
Social Communication Center
Communications and Informatic Center.
Department of Health:
- Military Police Central Hospital, Rio de Janeiro city;
- Military Police Hospital, in Niteroi;
  - 4 Clinics;
- Veterinary Center;
- Dentistry Center;
- Rehabilitation Center (Physical therapy).

Weapons

Equipment	Type	Origin	Notes
FN FAL	Rifle	Belgium	Standard
ParaFAL	Rifle	Belgium/ Brazil	Standard
Heckler & Koch PSG1	Sniper Rifle	Germany	special operations
M16A2	Rifle	USA	special operations
IMBEL MD2	Rifle	Brazil	special operations
M4	Carbine	USA	Standard
AR-15	Carbine	USA	Standard
Taurus CT-30	Carbine	Brazil	Standard
Remington Model 1100	Shotgun	USA	riot control
Mossberg 500	shotgun	USA	riot control
MP5	submachine	Germany	special operations
Imbel MT-12	submachine	Brazil	Standard
TAURUS FAMAE in .40	submachine	Chile/ Brazil	Standard
Taurus PT-100	Pistol	Brazil	Standard
Taurus PT 24/7	Pistol	Brazil	Standard
Taurus Model 605	Revolver	Brazil	Standard
Taser Pistol	Non-lethal weapon	Brazil	Standard
Smoke grenade	Non-lethal weapon	Brazil	riot control and special operations
Riot gun	Non-lethal weapon	Brazil	riot control and special operations

Vehicles inventory

Model	Manufacturer	Type	Notes
Gol G3	Volkswagen	Patrol car	Being retired. Patrol rural
Gol G5	Volkswagen	Patrol car	Vehicle standard
Logan	Renault	Patrol car	Vehicle standard
Voyage G III	Volkswagen	Patrol car	Vehicle standard
Blazer	Chevrolet	Response car	Vehicle standard
Duster	Renault	Response car	Vehicle standard
Hilux SW4	Toyota Motor	Response car / Dog unit Car (K9)	Special police
Frontier D40	Nissan	Multi-purpose car	Special police/ Highway patrol
S-10 Third generation	Chevrolet	Response car	Vehicle standard
Amarok	Volkswagen	Multi-purpose car	Riot police car
Master	Renault	Police van	Riot police car
Daily	Iveco	Police van	Special police
Ducato	Fiat	Police van	Vehicle standard
XT660	Yamaha Motor Company	Police motorcycle	Standard
CB600	Honda	Police motorcycle	Riot police
Ford Cargo 815	Ford Motor Company	Armoured personnel carrier	Vehicle war on drugs
VW Cargo 1722	Volkswagen	Armoured personnel carrier	Vehicle war on drugs
Maverick	Paramount Group	Infantry mobility vehicle	Special operations
Volkswagen Constellation	Volkswagen	Police truck	Special operations/Water cannon

Aircraft inventory

Aircraft	Type	Versions	In service	Note
Schweizer 300	Training	Schweizer 300 CBi	01	Designated phoenix 6.
Eurocopter AS350	Patrol helicopter	AS-350B3	06 (05 active)	Designated phoenix 1,2,3,4,7,8. Phoenix 3 was shot down by narcotraffickers during gunbattle at the Morro dos Macacos in October 2009.
Bell Huey II	Special operations Armed helicopter	Huey II	01	Designated phoenix 5.
Eurocopter EC145	Patrol helicopter SAR	EC145	01	Designated phoenix 9.
Piper PA-34 Seneca	Personal transport	PA-34	02
Beechcraft Baron	Personal transport	Baron 58	01

Uniforms

Since 1975, the PMERJ use dark grey blue in their uniforms or blue with black trousers. Special units have differenr uniforms for each service.

Ranks

The PMERJ has the same hierarchical classification^[8] of the Brazilian Army, with another type of insignias.^[9]

Ranks and insignia

Title	Insignia
Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Major
Captain
First Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Aspirant
Cadet or Student Officer (a star for each year)
Sub-Lieutenant
First Sergeant
Second Sergeant
Third Sergeant
Corporal
Private "A Class"
Private "B Class" or Student Private	No insignia

All rank insignia are worn on the epaulettes of the shirt, except for sergeants, corporal and soldiers, which are worn on each sleeve, below the institutional patch (left) and state flag (right).