Majority of Brazilians distrust police

A study shows that over two-thirds of Brazilians distrust their police forces, as law enforcement officers are widely regarded as corrupt, violent and inefficient.

The Brazilian Forum on Public Security presented the survey results for the first half of 2013 on Tuesday, showing that 70.1 percent of Brazilians do not trust the police.

The figure was up from 61.5 percent in the same period last year.

The report said the low rate of solved murders has contributed to Brazilians’ opinion that the police are inefficient.

It added that recent clashes between anti-riot police and protesters have contributed to Brazilians’ view that officers use excessive force.

According to the report, a total of 1,890 people died in incidents involving police officers last year.

The survey comes at a time when Brazil’s police force is under scrutiny over its use of force.

Earlier this month, violent protests erupted in Sao Paulo after a police officer killed a 17-year old boy.

President Dilma Rousseff condemned the police slaying of the boy, saying that the death shows the inequalities among residents in the country’s cities.

Last month, ten police officers were arrested in the torture-slaying of a favela resident in Rio. Amarildo de Souza was last seen on July 14 when he was taken by police into a Rocinha station for questioning.

De Souza’s body has not been found, but investigators believe that he was tortured to death by the police officers, who were seen on a surveillance tape taking him into custody.

In addition, 22 people have accused police officers of torturing them while in custody, saying that they were tortured with electric shocks and forced to ingest hot wax in a bid to receive information from them.