The main one is that the American police are leaner. In the United States, there are few divisions between the police and the hierarchy has fewer positions, which ends up reducing costs and reducing bureaucracy. In Brazil, each agency fulfills a function: the Military maintains public order by repressing or preventing crime, and in some states it also includes firefighters. The Civil conducts the investigation part after a crime has been verified, with the help of the scientist, who carries out the forensic work and technical analyses.
In addition, the police there are municipal, against the division by states in Brazil. The one in New York, for example, has around 36,000 members. The largest in Brazil is the São Paulo Military Police, with 89,700 MPs. There are municipal guards in Brazil, but they don’t even carry weapons, they work to protect the city’s public property, ensuring the proper use of parks and preservation areas, for example.
Another difference: here, the «aspira» spends a year training at the gym, against just six months of training in the US.
READ TOO
– What are the most difficult elite troop trainings in the world?
– Is there a police force like SWAT in Brazil?
– How are federal police operations named?
AMERICAN POLICE
Hierarchy in the US is leaner
MUNICIPAL POLICE
Mayor
Official chief of police, but only consulted in serious cases.
commissioner
Appointed by the mayor, he is an administrative coordinator – nothing to do with Commissioner Gordon.
administrative delegate
Appointed by the commissioner, he is a “supervisor” who commands each police station and its departments.
Department boss
Head of one of the departments, such as homicides, traffic crimes, missing persons, etc.
Sheriff
Serves very small towns and, when necessary, asks for reinforcement from larger neighbors.
Non-uniformed and special agents
After a year or two, officers can apply to fill vacancies in the investigative field.
Police officer
It’s the guys who put their hands in the dough. They start out as street police, in uniform and making the rounds.
auxiliary civilians
There are training programs for civilians to report suspicious acts in their neighborhoods.
SPECIAL UNIT
Only one special group is used in the US
SWAT
Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) is the generic name for the US police special forces. They can act in very different activities, from rescuing hostages to escorting authorities. They are called in high risk cases, but the police do not stand still until these events happen. They usually make the rounds like ordinary police, and at any moment the radio calls and they move to the most serious incident.
FBI
Organ investigates and carries out scientific research
Both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the PF investigate national crimes, such as border issues and espionage – in the case of the US, this also includes terrorism. Unlike the PF, the FBI has chemists and engineers in its research area, which creates forensic equipment and false document detectors.
BRAZILIAN POLICE
PM represses to maintain order, while Civilian investigates crimes
Governor
It authorizes the most important actions, such as entry into a prison taken over by inmates.
Secretary of Public Security
Effective coordinator of the police, since the governor does not follow the police routine.
MILITARY
colonel
Responsible for regions of the state. Leads up to 3 thousand PMs.
Lieutenant Colonel
Heads about 500 members, and three to five smaller units.
Major
Assists the lieutenant colonel in command of the battalion.
Captain
It leads about 120 police officers.
Lieutenant
He is the “halfway point” between his superior and the street.
1st, 2nd and 3rd sergeants
They command groups of about ten soldiers in rounds and patrols.
Soldier
Stay in the streets, repress and prevent crimes.
CIVIL
special class delegate
Heads up big units like the Homicide or Narcotics department. Lead up to a thousand agents.
1st, 2nd and 3rd class delegates
They lead from police stations in upscale neighborhoods to groups with up to 300 police officers.
4th and 5th grade delegates
Leads smaller DPs or works shifts in larger ones.
agents
They analyze the crime scene and its evidence and take statements.
THE SPECIALISTS
Rio has Bope, but the São Paulo police also have their special units
SHOCK
PM troop with battalions for high-risk actions, such as chasing bandits and containing rebellions.
COE
Command of Special Operations, its PMs go into forests, parks and rivers and look for bodies and missing persons.
GATE
PM’s Special Tactical Action Group. He negotiates with kidnappers who have hostages and disarms bombs.
GOE
Civilian’s repression unit, the Special Operations Group helps the Shock in actions such as mega-rebellions.
CLAW
Also from the Civil, the Armed Group for the Repression of Robberies and Assaults is trained in exchanging fire and chasing escapes.
Federal Police
From anti-corruption operations to issuing passports
In Brazil, the PF is like a Civil Police for crimes of national importance, such as immigration issues, drug and arms trafficking and smuggling. It also investigates fraud and corruption and issues passports, in addition to training private security professionals. The local police are not subordinate to the federal ones – they are different instances that, when necessary, work together.
CONSULTANCY: JOSÉ VICENTE DA SILVA, RESERVE COLONEL OF THE SÃO PAULO PM AND PUBLIC SAFETY CONSULTANT; US CONSULATE INFORMATION CENTER