French Share Security Expertise with Rio 2016

(ATR) National police officials from France are in Rio de Janeiro as part of a continued cooperation effort to provide security information ahead of major sporting events.

The focus of the police exercise for Nov. 19 was anti-riot training aimed at combating the kind of protests that consumed the country before the 2014 FIFA World Cup. French officials offered their experiences and knowledge to Brazil to be better prepared for the Olympics.

"Since my arrival in Brazil just after the attacks in Paris, I really found the policeman very interested for our experience and for the preparations for the Olympic Games next year," Christine Poinchon, a lieutenant in the French National Police in Rio for the exercise, said to Around the Rings.

"I really feel that they really want to be the most prudent and they ask you a lot of information to put all their services in all of Rio de Janeiro. I’m not afraid about security preparations, really."

The French delegation has been training the Brazilian Military Police for tactical advice since 2009 to prepare for the FIFA Confederations Cup before the World Cup. Poinchon stressed that much of the equipment used to control large crowds in Brazil is more sophisticated than those used in Europe.

In t he wake of the Paris attacks, intelligence gathered from French forces will flow into Brazil. Poinchon herself was stationed at the Stade de France the night of the attack and thanked Brazilian authorities for their "solidarity with us," during training.

"It really was war in downtown Saint Denis," Poichon said.

"We have really worked to prepare and train if something like that happens."

Jose Mariano Beltrame, Rio de Janeiro state secretary on security, gave a briefing on the current situation in the city on Nov. 19. He said the state has a plan given to them from the Federal Government regarding security against terrorism during the Games, which has not changed in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Beltrame said that violent crimes are at a 40 year low in the city, and despite an increase in crimes related to drugs the city is safer overall. He noted that Brazil’s lack of history of being a target for terrorism and the hosting of large sporting events in Rio presents a positive outlook ahead of the Games.

Still, the state government remains vigilant and will not take any threats of terrorism lightly.

"Terrorism is the first concern and we have infrastructure to fight against it," Beltrame said to reporters.

"As I said before, if we receive any information from the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) to make our force bigger or smaller, or if we have to change plans, we will do it. For the Olympic Games we will have around 65,000 cops already plus more 15,000 that we will use as well just in case we need it because of the eventual and specific changes."

Beltrame said that Federal Police, Militar Police, Civil Police, Ministry of Defense, Highway Federal Police, National Force, Municipal guards, and Rio de Janeiro traffic police will all be used during the Games. He also noted a wide range of over 80 countries from North America, Asia, Europe, and Australia that have been working with Brazil to share knowledge ahead of the Games.

"If we get asked for a larger number of cops we also have a significant contingency in case we need to use them, but so far I would say we are not planning to."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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