Rondônia's BPTAR unit slashes organized‑crime homicides as Mato Grosso sees steep crime decline

The Batalhão de Policiamento Tático de Ação e Reação ao Crime Organizado (BPTAR) was created by the Rondônia Military Police in 2024. Within two years it helped lower homicides linked to organized crime by roughly 70% in 2025 compared with the previous year, with the rate remaining stable in 2026. The unit seized 114 firearms, 2,554 munitions, 564 kg of drugs, detained 668 people, recaptured 190 fugitives and recovered 84 vehicles. Lieutenant‑colonel PM Antônio Matos said, “Ao desarticular as facções, desmontamos a engrenagem que alimenta a violência em várias frentes simultâneas.” Governor Marcos Rocha praised the unit as a specialized force that improves public safety.

In Mato Grosso, a multi‑year security program funded with about R$ 2 billion has modernized police equipment, expanded videomonitoring and added roughly 4,800 officers. The Vigia Mais MT system now covers 142 municipalities with 7.9 cameras per 1,000 residents, some capable of reading plates and facial recognition. The state reports a 75% drop in overall robberies, a 71% reduction in vehicle thefts and a 16% decline in intentional homicides from 2019 to 2025. Secretary of Public Security Susane Tamanho noted, “Somos o Estado mais monitorado do Brasil e estamos em primeiro lugar também entre os países da América Latina, com 7,9 câmeras para cada mil habitantes.”