Abstract

TRINDADE, Arthur  and  PORTO, Maria Stela Grossi. Monitoring police activity: a comparative analysis of codes of ethics in Brazil and Canada. Sociologias [online]. 2011, vol.13, n.27, pp. 342-381. ISSN 1517-4522.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1517-45222011000200013.

In this paper we discuss police deontology and codes of ethics used in two police institutions: the Military Police of the Federal District (Brazil) and the Ottawa Police Service (Canada). First, we analyse and compare contents of these documents. Following, we examine how each of those police institutions coordinates its training and evaluation systems with its own deontological code. Finally, we find that the existence of deontolgy codes in itself, without administrative regulation, does not guarantee the appropriate control of police activities. Furthermore, we identified a need for assimilation of such codes and administrative regulations by the police training and evaluation systems.

Keywords : Police; Police institutions; Police activities; Police ethics; Behavioral codes; Deontology.