环球英语 — 727：Peace Police

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Voice 1

Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Ryan Geertsma.

Voice 2

And I'm Robin Basselin. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1

On October 11th, 2010, the front of the New York Times newspaper had an unusual picture on it. The picture was of three police officers. The officers were from Rio de Janeiro*. They were wearing official, blue police clothes. But these three police men were not holding guns. Instead, they were holding babies.

Voice 2

These officers are part of a new police program in Rio. Some people call them the "peace police." In the New York Times picture, these policemen were visiting a child care center. It was in a part of Rio called Cidade de Deus, or City of God. City of God is one of many poor areas of Rio called favelas. Today's Spotlight is on Brazil's special "peace police" and their efforts to bring peace back to the favelas.

Voice 1

For many years, the police have not had control over many favelas in Rio. Instead, the most powerful people were the drug dealers with the biggest guns. The drug trade brought a lot of violence. In fact, Rio had one of the highest murder rates in the world. In 1999, Katia Lund and Joas Salles made a film about Rio's drug war. It was called "News from a Personal War." The film claimed that at the time, one person died every half hour from the drug war in Rio.

Voice 2

Because of the violence, many doctors, teachers, and social service workers left the favelas to live in safer areas. The people that remained lacked basic social structures - like good health care or education. Children grew up with little chance to get a good job. Many of them instead entered the drug trade at a very young age.

Voice 1

The drug dealers did not want the police to interfere. So they offered the police money, or bribes. And the police took the money. The police chose to not deal with the problems of drugs and violence. Helio Luz is a former head of police in Rio. In the film "News from a Personal War" he said,

Voice 3

"I will say it. The police are corrupt. The government leaves the favelas as a wasted land."

Voice 2

Police did not give people in the favelas fair trials. The police even killed people illegally. The people felt betrayed by the police. They felt that the police left them under the rule of the criminals.

Voice 1

But in 2002, a powerful film came out. The film was called "Cidade de Deus", or "City of God." The film showed the rise of the drug trade in the favelas of Rio. It showed the terrible effects of the poverty and violence. It showed what happens to a community when even children carry guns.

Voice 2

In the last scene of the film, a group of children shoot their gang leader. The leader's body lays bleeding on the ground. But the children have seen so much violence already. They do not even care. In the very last part of the film, the children are laughing and waving their guns. They are talking about all the people they are still planning to kill.

Voice 1

Brazilians already knew about the problems in the favelas. But "Cidade de Deus" brought these problems to the eyes of the world. Millions of people saw this film. It received many international awards. The terrible situation in the favelas was no longer hidden. Still, the government was slow to act. The problem was very big. And people did not trust the police to help.

Voice 2

But something else happened that caused the government to act. The international community chose Rio for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. Now the world would be watching Rio closely. So finally, six years after the release of "Cidade de Deus," the government decided that it needed to change the situation in the favelas.

Voice 1

To do this, the government started a new program called the "Police Pacification Program," or "Peace Police Program." When the peace officers come in to the favelas, they are not like other police officers. When they come in, there are no more gun battles. Alexei Barrionuevo is a writer for the New York Times. He explained the purpose of the new officers.

Voice 4

"They come in after the military police clear the streets - after gun battles that can last weeks... Their job is part traditional police work, part social work."

Voice 2

The peace police protect the streets like regular police officers. But they also teach classes like music and English. They visit child care centres and play with the children. They are trying to communicate the message that they are there to stay. They want people to know that they are going to make life in the favelas better for everyone.

Voice 1

Since the peace police program began, the favelas have improved. Trucks now come three times a week to collect waste. The government is cleaning up the dirty rivers. The government is also trying to help people get health care and jobs. Children are safer. Their chance to get an education has improved. The New York Times reports,

Voice 4

"The number of children going to school has increased. One high school is showing a 90% increase since the peace police arrived."

Voice 2

However, bringing peace back to the favelas is not easy. The way of change is difficult. It is filled with danger. People living in the favelas are still slow to trust police officers. Luis Pizarro is a peace police officer in Cidade de Deus. He told the New York Times:

Voice 5

"Nobody likes us here. It can be difficult sometimes."

Voice 1

But this situation is changing too. The New York Times tells the story of Officer da Silva. He teaches free karate classes in the favelas. Karate is a Japanese method of self-protection. A man named Leonardo Bento signed up for da Silva's class. The police had killed Bento's brother. He took the class so that he could hurt Officer da Silva. But he says,

Voice 6

"I began to understand that the police officer in front of me was just a human being. He was not the terrible creature I had imagined in my head."

Voice 2

Officer da Silva wants to earn the peoples' trust. He does not wear a vest to protect him from bullets. He does not even carry a gun. He says,

Voice 7

"Force does not bring peace. It can lead to respect, but not trust."

Voice 1

With hopeful signs like these, Rio's peace police program could be a permanent part of police service. Like the film Cidade de Deus, Brazil's peace police provide a powerful message for the rest of the world.