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A degree for what? Higher education and low rank Minas Gerais’ Military Police officers1 1 - This article had the support of Brazilian National Council of Scientific and Technological Development (CNPQ) grant 405777/202-4.

Abstract

This article analyses how low rank officers at Military Police of Minas Gerais with higher education understand their organization, their career and the relationship with society. The research touches a controversial topic in police studies: the role of higher education. In Brazil this issue is stressed by the existence of two hierarchical levels in the Military Police: soldiers and officers. The study adopted a qualitative methodology based on semistructured interviews. Four categories emerged from the data: 1 – critical capacity; 2 – hierarchical conflicts; 3 – absence of recognition and professional acknowledgement; 4 – leaving the career. Police officers affirm that higher education grants more discretional capabilities in daily work, but reinforces conflicts with high rank officers. Furthermore, there is professional acknowledgement for holding a higher education degree. Thus, this new contingent of educated police officers that could be part of a more innovative practice has one desire: leaving the institution. As a conclusion the research affirms that a two-hierarchical model drives low rank police officers to leave the career. Additionally, this is an issue in the Brazilian police reform agenda.

Military Police; Higher Education; Police Career; Police Reform

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