The first Brazilian police officers to join a UN peacekeeping mission was in October 1991 in Angola, composed of 10 police officers of the Federal District Police/Gendarmerie (Polícia Militar do Distrito Federal – PMDF), at the Second United Nations Angola Verification Mission Verification Mission II, between May 1991 and February 1997).

This historic photo was taken during the first days of the arrival of Brazilian police officers on peace missions around the world. These veterans deserve all the respect for pioneering and courage in facing something new and challenging for all of the country’s police officers, taking into account the lack of information and technology available today. They represent, with great pride, a remarkable moment in the biography of Brazil and its police departments (gendarmeries), breaking new ground and tasks in an international context and contributing to the promotion of peace in Angola. Even with all the difficulties, the country owes all the respect and admiration to these professionals, heroes and forerunners of all other generations.

Squatting and from left to right: Sergeant Benicio, Sergeant Juarez and Sergeant Ronaldo. Standing, from left to right: Sergeant Vicente, Sergeant Bandeira, Major Ribeiro, Sergeant De Paula, Sergeant De Aguiar and Sergeant Alves. (In the background, standing between Sergeant De Paula and Sergeant Aguiar is a Swedish police superintendent) and standing next to Sergeant Alves is a Zimbabwean sergeant). In this photo is missing Sergeant Eurival, commonly known as “Palito.

Shortly thereafter, a few police officers from the Minas Gerais State Police (Polícia Militar de Minas Gerais – PMMG) integrated the Brazilian personnel.