Harmfull legacy of military instruction in brazilian police

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by Israel Pereira Coutinho

     Rebeca Costa Curta

            Since the polices formation in Brazil, we have gone through State of Exception periods, that  suffered  influences not only in the corporations configuration but  also in the proper doctrine of the Police Academies.

In the post-war period, according to what affirmed Ludwig :[…] the division of the world into two blocks put Brazil side to side to the USA, and in accordance with the alignment policies defended by this country, it was Brazil’s responsibility to worry about the local enemy, giving priority to the battle against  the communist infiltration coming from  Moscow.

            With the military coup of March 31, 1964, military education became directed and unified throughout the country, with its main basis in the national security doctrine and Brazil adapted its security organic structure within Estate Security politics, not in citizens security. Such period in which Human Rights was practically dissociated from Public Security.

            The participation of the Civil Police of the State of São Paulo in the Detachment of Information Operation (DOI) – Defense Operation Center (CODI) and in the “Operação Bandeirante” (OBAN) left a harmfull legacy of military instruction that infected and impregnated the brazilian police academies for some decades.

            With the end of military dictatorship and gradual democratic opening, especially after the “Constituição Cidadã”   (Citizen Constitution), the police academies had their curriculum restructured and polices a new working philosophy.

         A great step in the training of public security professional occurred with the coming of the “Matriz Curricular Nacional” in 2003 due to its  theorical- methodological reference in these professionals training actions, with special emphasis in Human Rights.