Governor Tarcísio de Freitas announced Osvaldo Nico Gonçalves as São Paulo's new Public Security Secretary on the night of November 28, 2025. The 68-year-old delegate, renowned for his long career in the Civil Police, will replace Guilherme Derrite, who will resume his mandate in the Chamber of Deputies. Nico, previously the executive secretary of the department, pledges continuity in policies against organized crime.
Osvaldo Nico Gonçalves, a Civil Police delegate since 1979, will assume the position next week. He joined the career as an investigator and, until 1992, worked in departments such as DECAP, DHPP, DEIC, and GARRA. In 1992, he founded the first Special Operations Group (GOE) of the Civil Police and was its first pilot delegate. For 12 years, he supervised the Special Rescue Group (GER) in GARRA, commanding over 200 officers, and created the Anti-Bomb Group and the Motorcycle Group.
Nico gained national fame in 2005 by arresting Argentine defender Desábato for a racist offense against player Grafite during a Libertadores match at Morumbi. He participated in notable arrests, including that of Maurício Hernández Norambuena, kidnapper of Washington Olivetto in 2001; journalist Pimenta Neves in 2011; and doctor Roger Abdelmassih in 2014. In 2019, he became the first director of the Specialized Police Operations Department (DOPE). In April 2022, he was appointed general delegate of the Civil Police, replacing Ruy Fontes, assassinated in 2025. Since January 2023, he held the position of executive secretary in the Public Security Secretariat (SSP).
Holding a Law degree from 1989 and specializing in Judicial Police, Nico is known for his media visibility, appearing on shows like Brasil Urgente and SPTV. 'I try to give society a response about what the police do well,' he said in a 2022 Folha interview. He maintains relations with businessmen, artists, and football players, and owns bars and restaurants in Ipiranga, São Paulo's south zone.
In the Tarcísio government, he coordinated the task force in the Vinícius Gritzbach murder case at Guarulhos Airport. 'It's important to maintain what we're doing with the drop in crime indicators. And continue working on crimes we can still improve [like femicide and rape],' Nico told Folha after the appointment. Derrite is leaving the role to focus on his Senate pre-campaign.
