To maintain security, Seap initiated operations in the penal units of Pará

Ensuring the tranquility of the staff and total control of the Pará prison system, with direct impacts on public safety, are the main objectives of the General Inspection operation, initiated this Wednesday (1st) by the State Secretariat for Penitentiary Administration (Seap). The 54 penal units under the responsibility of the secretariat will undergo extensive and meticulous inspection until May 5. The state of alert will be intensified throughout this period.

Although the action takes place simultaneously throughout the state, the main focus is on the Santa Izabel do Pará Penitentiary Complex, located in the Americano Village, in the Metropolitan Region of Belém. This location concentrates the largest prison population in the state, requiring greater attention from Seap.

To ensure the effectiveness and safety of the operation, Seap mobilized teams from the Penitentiary Action Group (GAP) and the Penitentiary Operations Command (COPE), which supported the other penal officers involved in the cell and block inspections. About a thousand police officers are directly participating in the operation during the four days of preventive actions.

Coordinated by the Deputy Secretariat for Operational Management (SAGO), led by Ringo Alex Rayol Frias, the action had its first stage monitored on-site by the manager, along with Colonel PM Odenir Margalho, director of Penitentiary Administration (DAP); Bruno Pinheiro, Seap's inspector; representatives from the Institutional Security Advisory (ASI); and directors of the prison units in the Complex.

According to Ringo Frias, actions like the General Inspection are routinely carried out before holidays, vacation periods, and year-end festivities. The measure aims to anticipate possible movements identified by Seap's intelligence service.

“We promote these actions whenever we identify 'noise' in the information or signs of situations that may compromise the integrity of the penitentiary system. We act preventively to avoid any type of reactive occurrence. This demonstrates the control and organization of our system,” said the deputy secretary.

Immediate response

The rapid mobilization of about a thousand penal officers to inspect, in a single day, the units in Pará highlights the current level of preparedness and response of Seap to any situation that may arise in the penal houses.

“The prison environment is exclusive territory of the State. The State controls this space through the Penal Police and Seap's staff. Our actions directly contribute to public safety and the social peace of Pará society,” emphasized Ringo Frias.

Inspector Bruno Pinheiro reinforced that inspections are part of Seap's regular procedures and are essential to maintain control of the units. The presence of the Inspectorate ensures even more rigor and quality in the work performed for both the staff and the inmates.

“These preventive operations are already part of the routine. With each new action, we are consolidating protocols that prevent administrative and security irregularities on the part of the inmates. The Inspectorate closely monitors everything, working alongside operational management,” said Pinheiro.

Continuous supervision

The inspector also highlighted that the supervisory work allows for the identification and processing of irregular conduct, both from inmates and staff.

“We are not immune to human errors or crimes. However, we have observed a significant reduction in administrative and criminal irregularities committed by staff. Incidents involving inmates are being duly investigated and punished according to the law, which contributes to the stability of public safety within Seap,” he concluded.

Wallace Pereira Silva, director of the Semi-Open Regime Reintegration Unit (URRS) of Santa Izabel do Pará — which houses the largest number of detainees in the Penitentiary Complex — positively evaluated the implementation of another General Inspection. For him, the mere ostentatious presence of penal officers already exerts a strong inhibiting effect.

“When the inmate feels watched, he calms down. This prevents behaviors harmful to the unit or the entire penal system, maintaining the order and tranquility necessary for the proper functioning of the penal house,” concluded the director.

Text: Márcio Sousa / NCS Seap Pará