A degree for what? Higher education and low rank Minas Gerais’ Military Police officers

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.