Rio, 11/3/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Summer Plan (Plano Verão), a special police operation to protect the beaches of Rio de Janeiro this summer (December to March in the southern hemisphere), went into effect this weekend. A total of 1,300 men in the city of Rio, plus another thousand in other coastal resort areas, were placed on duty to deal with security on beaches.

Colonel Carlos Alberto Costa, who commands the operation, says that bathers can rest assured that the beaches are safe. "Besides routine patrols [on foot, with dogs, and on horseback], we have undercover agents on the beaches." In the popular beach areas in the southern part of the city of Rio de Janeiro (Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon), Costa says there will be a helicopter and police patrol boats, as well. (AB)