BOPE Brasilien

The Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais (BOPE) is an elite, highly militarized special operations unit within the Rio de Janeiro Military Police in Brazil. Known for using heavy armored vehicles (nicknamed ”caveirões”) and acting in high-risk scenarios, including drug raids and hostage rescues, BOPE is specialized in urban warfare, particularly in favelas.

The symbol and emblem of BOPE consists of a human skull skewered by a knife. Two handguns are crossed behind the skull. The unit itself, through its social media presence, specifies that this symbol has been the same since the birth of BOPE. Moreover, they explain that the skull is a representation of intelligence and knowledge, but at the same time death. The knife, on the other side, suggests the courage of the members and the secrecy of the mission. The knife in the skull is a representation of “victory over death.”

The origin of this emblem goes back to the Second World War: a group of Alliance soldiers, entering a concentration camp, found a skull on a desk. One of them, drawing the dagger, stabbed the skull to demonstrate the victory of life over death. Finally, the two guns are the insignia of the military police. In fact, they also appear on the symbol of the Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (PMERIJ, Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State).