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Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed a new law that offers new funding possibilities for the Fund for the Equipment and Operationalisation of the Federal Police’s Core Activities (Funapol). On 8 July, the Federal Senate passed the legislation, which only needed presidential assent to come into force.
The signing was at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia. Lula said the proposal was the result of joint work by the Ministries of Justice and Public Security, Planning and Budget, and Finance during the event, highlighting the collaborative nature of the project.
Fixed-Odds Betting Revenue to Support Public Security
The new law will redistribute the revenue generated by the fixed-odds betting market in Brazil by giving Funapol 3% of all betting revenues. The measure is to bolster the financial capabilities that can be made use of in the operation of the Federal Police.
Aside from the allocation of betting revenue, the law also grants an extra BRL 200 million in the unrestricted budget of the National Treasury to be transferred to Funapol during 2026. Lula says that interministerial coordination allowed for the strengthening of public security funding without the idea coming directly from the Federal Police or from Congress.
Government Links the Measure to Public Security Strategy
The law also underscores the emerging status of the regulated sector in Brazil as a source of financing public policies, even though President Lula has raised criticism against the sector. Reducing profits received by the betting industry by channelling some of the revenue into law enforcement reinforces the role of betting in funding government initiatives.
The increase in funding for Funapol is part of the government’s overall strategy to fight organized crime, said Justice and Public Security Minister Wellington Lima. The extra resources will enhance the operational capabilities of the Federal Police, as well as provide for proper recognition and welfare of the federal law enforcement personnel, the minister said.
New Resources Complement Broader Security Agenda
Lima also linked the new law to other public security measures that are being pushed by the federal government. These include the Public Security Constitutional Amendment under consideration in the Senate, and the Raúl Jungmann Law, signed by President Lula this year.
The new law was welcomed by the Federal Police Director General, Andrei Rodrigues, who also said that the law provides the conditions for supplying healthcare benefits for members of Brazil’s Federal Police. The measure is part of a broad set of reforms to the country’s laws on finance to support the growth of the country’s federal law enforcement agency’s capacity and personnel.
Source: SBC Noticias
