Controversy erupts in Rio de Janeiro over ‘wild west bonus’ for police officers who kill criminals

The governor of Rio de Janeiro, Bolsonaro ally Claudio Castro, has the final say on the plan to pay police officers who kill criminals or seize high-caliber weapons. He has the power to veto — or not— the law approved last week by the state assembly that reinstates the so-called gratificação faroeste (Wild West bonus), which was in effect in the 1990s. Governor Castro has 15 days to decide. The return of the controversial paid bonus, eliminated years ago due to civil society pressure, comes at a time when Rio has its lowest police lethality rates in a decade.

The paid bonus was introduced in a bill reforming the career path of civil police officers, who focus mainly on investigations rather than street patrols. Under the law, officers could receive a bonus of 10% to 150% of their salary for “seizing high-caliber or restricted-use weapons” and “neutralizing criminals,” according to O Globo. The newspaper adds that the measure was approved on September 23 with 45 votes in favor and 17 against.

The Attorney General’s Office has recommended that the governor veto the controversial clause on two grounds: it is unconstitutional and violates the fundamental right to public safety. Supporters of the Wild West bonus argue that it rewards officers who risk their lives to fight crime. Human Rights Watch, however, says the bill “encourages lethal force” and “is a recipe for more brutality and impunity.” It is urging the governor to veto it. Castro is a member of Jair Bolsonaro’s Liberal Party, which also tried to loosen police regulations on use of force during Bolsonaro’s presidency (2019-2022).

For many years, Rio de Janeiro was the Brazilian state where the police killed the most suspects, until it was surpassed by Bahia in 2022. Last year, the Rio police killed 469 suspects — more than one fatality per day — but also the lowest number in a decade. The peak was over 1,800 deaths in police operations in 2019, the first year of Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency. Most victims are young Black men from the outskirts of the city.

One of the factors behind this dramatic drop has been the introduction of body cameras for officers — a measure that Rio authorities had resisted, despite its success in other Brazilian states and a Supreme Court order to implement it.

The cameras were introduced in Rio in 2023. The effect was immediate. A year later, police had exercised greater restraint in using firearms, so much so that deaths in police operations fell by 35%, which brought the overall number of victims down by 5%.

Brazilian media suggest that Governor Castro is leaning toward vetoing the bonus, for several reasons. First, the heavy cost it would impose on a state budget still recovering from a near-bankruptcy nearly a decade ago. Second, the negative image of rewarding officers for killing criminals just ahead of an election year. In 2026, the governor plans to run for the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies.

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