External control of police action: institutionality, limits and paradoxes

Abstract

The rights enshrined in CF/88 were created with the aim of protecting the citizen from excesses of the State, preventing abuses arising from public agents. The control of public administration is regulated through various normative acts, which bring rules, modalities and instruments for the organization of this control. This paper seeks to analyze how the external control of police activity is done by the Brazilian Public Prosecutor's Office (MP), as well as to analyze how such inspection activity can influence internal and external police action. This is an exploratory, applied and bibliographic research. As results we identify the origin of police organizations in Brazil; the execution of public security policies and their consequences for minorities; the normative structure of the State Public Ministry for acting in the external control of police activity. As practical implications we suggest actions that can reduce police violence such as Investing in the continued training of the police force regarding human rights, training and application of non-lethal weapons; Investment in police intelligence to improve the planning of operations; Investment in body cameras and in vehicles, as we believe it will inhibit violent actions, and will be a proof of defense for police officers who act within the law; Definition of norms and operational procedures on the performance in conflicted communities that can be audited by the MPE and accompanied by social bodies; Creation of a specific sector in the MPE for more effective control over police bodies. Strengthening internal control of police organisations.