São Paulo police unit celebrates 56 years and reports operational results

The Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar (Rota), an elite unit of the São Paulo Military Police, celebrated its 56th anniversary at the 1st Shock Police Battalion headquarters. Created in 1970 to combat financial institution robberies, the unit currently comprises approximately 500 specialized officers focused on tactical patrolling and high-complexity operations.

Since the beginning of 2023, Rota's operations have resulted in the arrest of 2,100 individuals, including 1,000 fugitives from justice. The unit also reported the seizure of 7.7 tons of narcotics, the confiscation of R$ 7.9 million, and the removal of 406 illegal firearms from circulation.

The battalion's activities are part of broader security efforts that contributed to a decline in crime rates in the state between January and August of this year, including a 30% reduction in cargo theft and a 17% reduction in general robberies. Rota works in integration with intelligence agencies and the Integrated Force to Combat Organized Crime (FICCO), having conducted over 580 joint operations during the current administration.