Police: Forgotten Soldiers

A photo reportage about daily routine of Community Police Officers in São Paulo, Brazil.

Abstract

This photo reportage covers how low ranking police officers in Brazil struggle between originality and import, adapting Community Policing practices into their daily routines, inspired by the Japanese Community Policing System (called Koban). Along the photo essay, Prof. Ferragi discusses the particularities of practices result from such international cooperation, including the disorganizations and reorganizations within the organizational culture of the PMESP (São Paulo State Military Police). The photos highlight incongruent challenges to officers’ self-perceptions and daily routines. Many started responding by means of personal effort, performing social service activities. However, the idea of being a “social worker”, searching for the solution of deep social inequalities, seems to contain in itself a promise that many officers, especially sergeants, cannot accomplish.