BOPE (Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais, or
Special Police Operations Battalion), is the elite group of the Military Police, which originated from the State of
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Due to the nature of crime in
favelas, BOPE units have extensive experience in
urban warfare as well as progression in confined and restricted environments. It also utilizes equipment deemed more powerful than traditional civilian law enforcement, such as weapons chambered in .50 BMG
The force has a fleet of armored vehicles, which are known as "Pacificador" (Peacemaker), or "Caveirão"1 (Big Skull). These vehicles are used in operations in the slums (favelas) where BOPE faces intense conflicts with drug dealers. They are equipped with heavy armament: firing ports for IMBEL MD2 rifle variants of the
FN FAL, or the H&K G3 rifle, and in the back and front, .50 caliber machine guns.
These vehicles are also used as ambulances, when wounded officers need evacuation from an area exposed to enemy fire.
Equipment used by BOPE:
FAL
Para-FAL
Colt M16
Colt M4A1
AK 47
HK G3
HK PSG
Madsen
M1
Benelli M3 shotgun
Pistol Taurus PT 92
Pistol Taurus PT 100
HK MP5 and
MP5K
FN P90
HK21 A1
Military explosives
Grenades
The origins of BOPE date back to January 19, 1979. It was originally named Núcleo da Companhia de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Company Nucleus or NuCOE) and was under the command of the chief of staff for the military police of
Rio De Janeiro. In 1982 the company was moved to the Batalhão de Polícia de Choque, thus becoming part of that unit. Its name was changed again to Companhia de Operações Especiais (Special Operations Company, or COE). In 1984 the name was changed once again to NuCOE and was, again, under the command of the chief of staff. In 1988 the Companhia Independente de Operações Especiais – (Special Operations Independent Company, or
CIOE) was created, with its juridisction spanning all over the State of Rio de Janeiro. Finally on March 01, 1991 BOPE was created.
A very good movie came out that shows the story of BOPE its called
Tropa de Elite(Elite Squad)