Rondônia and Niterói record major crime declines through tech‑driven policing

The state of Rondônia reported sharp reductions in several criminal categories for the period January‑May 2026 compared with the same months in 2025. Feminicide cases fell 60% (from 10 to 4), attempted homicides dropped 45% (29 to 16), intentional homicides decreased 32% (158 to 107), thefts fell 12% (11,187 to 9,867) and robberies 14% (2,824 to 2,416). Deaths resulting from police interventions were cut by 56% (16 to 7) and thefts of pickup trucks declined 52% (25 to 12). Governor Marcos Rocha attributed the results to increased investment in intelligence, technology, equipment and training for security forces.

In the municipality of Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, street‑robbery incidents fell 44.8% in the first five months of 2026, a reduction of 276 cases and more than double the state average decline of 19.7%. The drop is linked to a decade‑long strategy that expanded the municipal guard force, installed about 800 surveillance cameras (including 120 smart fences) and created an integrated security centre that supports real‑time vehicle tracking and rapid police response. Mayor Rodrigo Neves and local security officials highlighted the role of technology, intelligence and coordinated public‑private initiatives in achieving the results.