The aim of this study is to investigate Military Policemen's support to extra judicial actions to combat violence. Two hundred and two military policemen who were students at the Center of Studies and Higher Education of the Military Police at Goiás (Brazil) participated in this study during May and June 2003. The results indicate the importance of the adhesion to democratic values for the rejection of extra judicial actions. Furthermore, the justifications stressing the respect to the Human Rights are evocated more frequently by privates than by sergeants, lieutenants and captains. Those results are discussed stressing the importance of studies about democracy in the police formation courses.
military police; extra judicial actions; democracy
