By William Jones, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Policing is set to be reinforced during the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Rio de Janeiro to ensure the safety of millions of revelers across the city. 7,691 military police are set to be deployed with 1,522 of these stationed in Copacabana, where some of the biggest celebrations will take place.
An turnout of over two million people are expected on Copacabana Beach for the Ano Novo (New Year) festivities, or Réveillon as it is locally called, and in order to ensure security police will deploy reinforced patrols in cars, on horseback, on motorcycles, with canine units, as well as three helicopters, which will be used to keep an eye on the massive event from the skies.
On Copacabana beach alone, 150 military police officers will patrol the crowds among the sand and boardwalk. Lt. Col. Ronal Santana, commander of the area, will transfer his office to an outpost on Avenida Princesa Isabel in order to oversee the safety of the party in Copacabana personally.
The Copacabana police force will monitor the beach with the aid of thirty observation towers while 317 officers will be split between Botafogo and Flamengo and the party in Barra da Tijuca will be joined by 274 military police.
According to Lt. Col. Marcelo Rocha of the state’s military police he is expecting parties in Copacabana, Botafogo Flamengo, Barra da Tijuca, Piscinão de Ramos, Penha, Parque Madureira, Ilha do Governador, Paquetá, Niterói, Maricá, Cabo Frio, São Pedro da Aldeia, Iguaba, Araruama and Saquarema. He says that for each region patrols will be strengthened.
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