The BOPE (Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais) is the special operations unit of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro. Officially founded in 1978, its role is to face what no other force can: armed crime in the favelas. 
Its motto, painted on vehicles and tattooed on many of its members, says it all: 
“Faca na Caveira” — Knife in the Skull.

Son symbole —un crâne traversé par un couteau— représente la détermination absolue et la volonté d’entrer dans les zones où règne la violence urbaine. Dans ces environnements, le BOPE agit comme force d’assaut tactique, mais aussi comme unité de renseignement, de négociation et de soutien aux opérations de grande envergure. 

Real curiosities 

1) From patrol to legend 
BOPE was born as a small company within the Military Police to respond to kidnapping and riot situations, but soon specialized in extreme urban combat. Over the years, it became an elite corps with more than 400 active operators and a reputation feared even among criminals.

2) Training without concessions 
The entry course is considered one of the toughest in the police world. Recruits must endure weeks in the jungle, intense psychological tests, and real training in favelas. The training motto is clear: “O homem que sente dor, mas continua” — “The man who feels pain but keeps going.”

3) Daily war at home 
While other units around the world train for international conflicts, BOPE fights every week in its own territory. Its operations involve live fire, alleys, rooftops, and labyrinths where the line between war and public security blurs.

4) Elite Squad: from anonymity to global fame

The film Elite Squad (2007), starring Wagner Moura as Captain Nascimento, forever changed BOPE’s image. It won the Golden Bear in Berlin and showed the world the brutal reality of combat in the favelas. Its success led to a sequel and an entire generation of cinematic imitators.

5) Controversy and admiration 
BOPE has been criticized by human rights organizations for its use of lethal force in civilian environments, but at the same time, it is seen by many citizens as the last line against drug trafficking. In Rio, its presence inspires fear and respect in equal measure.

BOPE is not just a unit: it is a symbol of modern urban combat. 
Its motto is not a threat; it’s a promise: if they must go in, they go in.