Penal Police Officer Flees Bangu After Breaking Through Internal Affairs Checkpoint

A prison police officer under investigation by the General Internal Affairs Unit of the State Secretariat of Prison Police (Seppen) fled after breaking through a security blockade set up at the entrance to Nelson Hungria Prison, inside the Gericinó Penitentiary Complex in Bangu, in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, on Thursday morning, May 28.

According to the report, the officer was trying to leave the prison area when he ignored the checkpoint and drove past the blockade. The incident triggered an immediate response from authorities, who launched a search operation shortly after the escape. The officer was later found and arrested hours later inside a hospital.

The episode raised concerns inside the state prison system because it involved a member of the security forces who was already being investigated by the department’s internal affairs division. The circumstances surrounding the internal investigation were not immediately disclosed, but the case added a new layer of tension to an already sensitive situation within the prison complex.

Nelson Hungria Prison is part of the large Gericinó Penitentiary Complex, one of the main correctional facilities in Rio de Janeiro. The area is heavily monitored, and access points are usually subject to strict control measures. The fact that the officer managed to escape through a security blockade highlighted a breach in the system’s containment procedures and prompted questions about how the incident occurred.

Authorities have not yet released full details on what led the officer to flee or why he was later located at a hospital. It also remains unclear whether he was receiving medical treatment at the time of his arrest or whether he sought refuge there after the escape. Investigators are expected to examine the sequence of events, including the role of the blockade, the response time of security teams, and the conditions that allowed the officer to leave the prison perimeter.

The arrest in a hospital hours later closed the immediate search, but the case is likely to remain under review by prison authorities and internal affairs investigators. Because the officer was already being examined by Seppen’s disciplinary body, the escape may become part of a broader administrative and criminal inquiry.

The incident comes amid continued scrutiny of security operations in Rio’s prison system, where internal discipline, escape prevention, and the conduct of correctional staff remain major concerns. Further information is expected as authorities clarify the reasons for the officer’s investigation, the circumstances of his flight, and the details of his detention after being found in the hospital.