Scientists at the Federal University will conduct brain mapping of police BOPE

The high rate of utilization of the officers of the Police Special Operations Battalion (Bope) became object of study by scientists at the Laboratory of Brain Mapping and Sensory-Motor Integration Ferederal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). With support from the Institute for Applied Neurosciences (INA) and the Foundation for Research Support (FAPERJ), the researchers followed the training courses of BOPE and developed tools to help train the battalion. For two years, from 2007 to 2009, conducted a series of tests to assess how neuroscience can contribute to the formation of the PMs and the prevention of errors in performing their duties.

Recently, various kinds of lapses committed by police surfaced. The aspect that we study is the decision-making, that is, the whole identification process that involves integration of information from the environment to the previous experience of the individual. From this process, an answer is chosen and implemented, which may be appropriate or not, explains psychologist Bruna Velasques, PhD Laboratory of Brain Mapping and Sensory-Motor Integration, UFRJ.

According to the professor at the Institute of Psychiatry (IPUB) UFRJ and coordinator of the project, Pedro Ribeiro, with the study, we can understand aspects of brain police and take them to the best possible assessment of situations in an attempt to reduce the rates of errors. The coordinator also said that if we take into account the number of operations of BOPE, the amount of people involved, both the battalion and communities, we see that this is a very low number of fatalities.

The project goal is to avoid repeating mistakes and accidents, which, according to Ribeiro, are completely preventable with constant training and efficient. The study concludes that technology especially coupled with constant training can significantly improve the performance of the police. "Most of the failures that police commit relates to the issue of training. A well trained police gain more awareness of the importance of their work and the consequences of their actions. Therefore, he tends to avoid the mistakes," the researcher.

Implementation of systems in training

From the concept of decision-making systems have been implemented within the BOPE training in order to test the cognitive functions, memory capacity, attention and decision making. We think of simple and inexpensive systems that address the concept of decision making. You need to condition the officer making a conscious and wise decision, rather than an automatic response, that is, the police must have control over what runs, says Ribeiro.

We made different kinds of training from equipment designed by the researchers themselves. In the evaluation of BOPE police have shown they can perform several functions simultaneously activating multiple brain areas. This is because, with training, develop, among other things, awareness, quick thinking and ability to make decisions in extreme situations, explains Bruna Velasques.

The devices used in research are being gradually incorporated into the PM and BOPE in training studies to extend the project to other units. The idea is to introduce the training in training courses to develop the perception of the military police from other battalions in order to reduce the number of errors and accidents, says the coordinator.

Other military units

Pedro Ribeiro Bruna Velasques and did a brief analysis of the performance of police and BOPE compared to other battalions from the experience of two years that followed the training of the elite. According Velasques, we can point to the training and exposure as key differentiators. The training and daily practice and enhance the ability reflected in the performance, which unfortunately is still very poor in other battalions.

This is a musical battle that we find only in the military. Training is a critical component in any activity, including the police. We must continually train decision making in order to reduce the gaps in military training, especially under stress situations of risk, adds Reddy.

The psychologist observed that the officers who are directly in streets in daily contact with society, do not have much exposure to this training spot, which carries serious risks.

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