For many years Brazil has experienced high rates of lethality due to police action. The lethality rate reflects the death of policemen, law breakers and innocent victims of the so-called “stray bullets”.
Among the many causes of Brazilian police lethality is the scarcity of non-lethal weapons that allow the application of gradual force according to each specific situation. In most police incidents a simple pepper spray may be sufficient to enforce the law and restore public order.
Even in serious situations, when well-armed outlaws confront the police, the use of non-lethal weapons, for example, lachrymatory grenades, may contribute to disperse outlaws and facilitate police action. Therefore, non-lethal weapons provide support for the use of firearms and avoid shots that frequently hit innocent people.
Brazil carries in its recent history some tragedies that could have been avoided had a doctrine on the use of non-lethal weapons been well-consolidated both in the police and Armed Forces.
The case of Eldorado dos Carajás may be cited as an example of a situation in which non-lethal weapons could have avoided a tragedy. Lachrymatory grenades, pepper sprays, controlled impact ammunitions or moral effect grenades, would have permitted the control of aggressive action by the demonstrators without causing death or permanent injury.
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