Sergeant Portugal takes stock of the mega operations in Rio de Janeiro in 2025, recognizes results in the fight against organized crime, but warns of the overload faced by PMs
Federal deputy Sergeant Portugal (Podemos–RJ) evaluated the mega police operations carried out in Rio de Janeiro throughout 2025. The parliamentarian recognized the effectiveness of the actions in combating organized crime and the broad support of the population, but highlighted that the results cannot ignore the working conditions of security agents.
According to Portugal, military police officers have faced routine overload in battalions and also when working at major events, such as popular festivals, musical shows and sporting events held in different regions of the state. “The mega operations have the support of society and mine too, but we cannot close our eyes to the reality of those on the front line. I receive reports daily of inhumane scales, which penalizes the police officer who already works at the limit”, said the deputy.
The parliamentarian highlighted that he maintains constant demands on the Secretary of Military Police of Rio de Janeiro and the state governor, demanding measures to guarantee decent working conditions for the troops. “I tirelessly demand the PM secretary and the governor to respect the police officers’ workload. This is a daily, public and transparent fight, as I constantly show on my social networks”, he added.
In the same vein, Sergeant Portugal highlighted Bill No. 5,967/2023, of his authorship, which establishes a maximum workload of 144 hours per month for police officers and military firefighters. The proposal provides for the creation of a time bank and the possibility of paying extra remuneration, in accordance with Executive Branch regulations. In Rio de Janeiro, this model is already adopted through the Additional Service Regime (RAS).
“Efficient public security only exists with valued professionals. My project seeks a balance between fighting crime and preserving the physical and mental health of our police officers and firefighters”, he highlighted. In conclusion, the deputy reinforced the defense of the category. “We have the best public security in Brazil. Imagine how much better it would be if operators were properly valued”, he concluded.
