O racismo estrutural: a percepção dos policiais militares negros cearenses sobre a atuação policial

Abstract

Structural racism has its incidence in military police work, but it is an eminently sensitive topic within the military environment, particularly due to the regime's rigor and its contradiction with the constitutional mission of the institution charged with maintaining public order and social peace. In some cases, the military police's denialism perpetuates explicit and subtle forms of racism in peripheral communities. Such peculiarities are no exception among Black military police officers. This research is conducted within this context, aiming to analyze Black military police officers' perceptions of military police work. Methodologically, a qualitative approach was adopted, using surveys (questionnaires) and interviews, which complement the investigation into military police perceptions under study. The results of this study showed that upon joining the force, Black military police officers experience a certain distance from their origins and the Black racial group. However, despite the denial of institutionalized racism, it was found that racist practices in military police work are brought by military police officers from society into their work, where the exercise of "police power" reinforces this predisposition. Black military police officers are aware of the structure of racism, as they are also members of the Black population. However, they believe that the preferential treatment of their peers stems from their socio-criminal profile and not from skin color. Therefore, it can be inferred that Black military police officers understand the relationship between racism and military police action, but deny its institutionalized practice. However, corporatism, veiled censorship, and adaptation to a deviant professional routine should not be dismissed from this perception. Furthermore, it is necessary for social institutions, from an early age, to develop adequate racial literacy in order to instill in future military police officers respect for the dignity of the Black racial group, without considering the need for ongoing anti-racist education.