the special police force in charge of maintaining security in the favelas is called 'unidade de polícia pacificadora (upp), translated as 'pacification police unit' - the upp maintains a website with pictures and updates from the favelas in which it operates.

among others, the favelas in which the upp currently operates are morro dos macacos, pau da bandeira e parque vila isabel (vila isabel, zona norte), andaraí, batan (realengo), borel (tijuca), chapéu mangueira/babilônia (leme), cidade de deus (jacarepaguá), formiga (tijuca), cantagalo & pavão-pavãozinho, (ipanemaand copacabana), providência (centro), salgueiro (tijuca), santa marta (botafogo), tabajaras, cabritos (copacabana)e turano (rio comprido), complexo do alemão (centro) - the occupation of the complexo do alemão was very important and highly symbolic, made famous and televised internationally in 2010.