> but the study was conducted by Amnesty International. Why the "but" in that sentence? I would say 99% of people in the favela I grew up are afraid of the police at some degree, and would prefer to meet an armed gangster in a dark alley to meet a group of policeman, for sure! > I can't imagine policing in favelas to be an easy job The police is unequipped, undertrained, underpaid and badly managed. Most of the military policeman are from the lower classes too, therefore lacking a good education since childhood. Is hard. Sometimes they bring the Army with heavy weaponry and occupy the place for a while, but this is not a long-term solution.