Public safety concerns prompted the Santa Catarina government to make exceptions to the cancellation of public auctions. An increase in embezzlement, a dispute between factions in the north-northeast of the state, and a shortage of personnel to fight crime prompted the general representative of the civilian police, Ulisses Gabriel, to request more specialists.

The government is still analyzing whether it will hold a public examination for civilian police, as required by the general delegate. Photo: Leo Munkhoz/ND

According to the delegate, the unification of actions across the various lines of investigation has reduced the number of murders in the state, especially in the capital, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

In the first quarter of the year, Joinville, for example, had 23 murders, including two massacres, this year against nine in the same period in 2022, a 155% increase.

Statewide, homicides were up 18% in March compared to 2022. Now the growth is about 2%.

“The biggest problem is efficiency. The government will name those approved by the Scientific Police, as well as an announcement for 50 officers and 500 military police, and we are creating a competition for the civilian police,” says Ulisses.

“Our goal is to constantly reorganize the workforce, invest in technology and control productivity. We are looking closely at cases of homicide, fraud and crime committed in the school environment,” he adds.

The requirement for civilian police is 30 psychologists and 30 delegates. Secretary of State for Finance Cleverson Sievert says the Administrative Secretariat is increasing the need for civil servants.

“What we have in practice is that the governor promised the prime minister, but call next July, and the rest of the directions will be analyzed in a timely manner,” he sums up.

Call for 465 civil servants in the penitentiary system

Despite worrying numbers in some regions, Governor Jorginho Mello is positive about security. Recall that in the first four months of the year there was a decrease in such crimes as femicide, robbery and theft compared to 2022. But the number of thefts and bodily injuries, followed by a fatal outcome, has increased.

“We are strengthening all police forces. We are recruiting 465 civil servants to the penitentiary system, we are trying to solve the issue of ACT (temporary contracts) in the penitentiary system, and we are going to send retired policemen to schools. We have 600 trained distribution specialists and aim to reach this goal in 60 days. We are thinking of calling the fire brigade and civilian police, but the decision has not yet been made,” says Jorginho.

Until the professionals arrive, the police work with what they have. Delegate Ulisses monitors the State Public Safety and Review Bulletin daily and collects fees from delegates in the regions.

By doing this follow-up and identifying difficulties, especially in Greater Florianopolis and the NNE region, he hopes to control homicide cases.

In the capital, according to him, thanks to the intensification of the work of the police departments to combat organized crime, to combat robberies, murders and to combat drugs, there has been a significant reduction. “These four specialists received cars and computers, and we made changes that led to this reduction.”

Faction war takes over a major city

The Joinville case is a little more complicated. The murder rate in the city is declining due to the war between the criminal gangs – PGC (Primeiro Grupo Catarinense) and PCC (First Command of the Capital).

“We had 23 murders in Joinville. [até abril]. But in one day at the beginning of the year there were seven of them,” emphasizes Ulisses, analyzing the bulletin and talking about the massacre of a group of workers from Parana.

Situation in Greater Florianopolis is under control, but upstate is concerned – Photo: Leo Munoz/ND

“Joinville was out of tune. I reported this to the Minister of Security, and this week we are going to have a meeting with the security forces in order to be more active in preventive and repressive purposes, identifying perpetrators and perpetrators,” emphasizes Ulisses.

“In the coming days, the Governor and I are going to Joinville to deliver computers and equipment there to strengthen the fight against crime,” he adds.

Falling femicides, robberies and robberies

The delegate notes a reduction in a number of crimes in the state, such as murders of women, robberies and thefts. The latter, he said, has fallen due to an increase in arrests.

“Compared to last year, we have completed 18% more arrests. Another metric we’re monitoring is search and seizure compliance, which has increased by 42%.”

Currently, crimes of embezzlement, which have increased in number, are of concern. In order to change the scenario, the civilian police are investing in the intelligence sector, in the fraud department of Deic (State Council of Criminal Investigation).

“Those who practice theft in an electronic environment are criminal organizations. Now we will act more wholesale. Those who carry out the Peaks coup do not do it once, but 30, 40, 50 times. We are going to improve the intelligence structure in order to stop this crime, which is carried out mainly by gangs in Rio Grande do Sul and Sao Paulo.”

In Greater Florianopolis, the focus is on the integration of specialized police stations. A criminal investigation department will also be created in the capital.

Statistics for the first four months of the year:

Robbery – 22% reduction

• 2022 – 3115
• 2023 – 2428

Theft – 3.5% increase

• 2022 – 37,280
• 2023 – 38,613

Kills – up to 2.8%

• 2022 – 208
• 2023 – 214

Feminicide – 12% drop

• 2022-25
• 2023-22

Heist – Drop 60%

• 2022 – 5
• 2023-2

Bodily injury followed by death – up to 175%

• 2022 – 4
• 2023-11

Source: Integrated public security system.