An On The Ground Look At Brazil's Most Dangerous Slums (21 pics)
When things get dangerous in Brazil, these elite officers hit the ground running.
A BOPE (Special Police Operations Battalion) officer patrols on the rooftop of a school while on patrol at the Rocinha slum.
An aerial view of the Rocinha — one of Rio's many favelas.
BOPE, the elite military police battalion, enter the unpacified Complexo da Mare, one of the largest favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
A BOPE officer reads notes — allegedly from drug traffickers — that lists the amount that was paid to people who tipped off gang members about police presence.
A BOPE officer walks beside a bullet pocked wall during an operation.
A man reads a newspaper as BOPE take positions during a raid of the Mangueira slum.
An elderly woman crosses paths with members of BOPE while they search homes for guns and drugs.
Members of BOPE are equipped with weapons and tactics that normal police officers are not issued or trained for.
The close-quarters of the favelas give BOPE officers a challenge. Given that the gangs and militias in the favelas are highly organized, BOPE officers undergo an intense training regimen.
A member of BOPE listens at a door while on a patrol.
A BOPE officer startles a young sleeping couple while searching homes for guns and drugs.
With an emblazoned logo of "caveira" or skull, BOPE strikes fear into criminals operating in the slums.
A man is searched by a BOPE officer in a favela. In addition to rooting out crime, BOPE also has a peace-keeping mission of interacting with the community through meetings and sports events.
Night-time raids can be a blessing and a curse for BOPE officers. Often times, criminals equipped with radios have knowledge of an incoming raid well before they arrive to their favela.
Their motto, "victory over death" is not only a testament to their determination, but also evidence of the fact that even a minor mistake can cost them their lives.
It's not unusual to find a BOPE officer that has been shot back on patrol. Given the favela's dangerous nature, even cameramen documenting their work can easily find themselves between a gun fight.
Simulated crime scenarios, such as this one on a train in Maracana stadium, provide BOPE officers valuable training for the upcoming Olympic Games.
Pacifying each favela and its many alleyways is a daunting workout, especially when carrying all of their extra gear.
BOPE officers takes position on the rooftop of a school at the Rocinha slum.
As if their weapons weren't intimidating enough, each BOPE officer is trained for urban and jungle warfare — they even hold mixed-martial arts seminars from infamous fighters such as Anderson Silva.
Fog hovers by Christ the Redeemer statue with the Cantagalo favela in the foreground on January 4, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With the Olympic Games set to start next month, time will tell if the pacification efforts of this elite force has paid off.
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