Military Police (Brazil)

Military Police Polícia Militar
Insignia of the Military Police used since 1957.[1]
Abbreviation	PM
Agency overview
Formed	1809
Employees	385,883 active personnel (2020)[2]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Brazil
General nature	Gendarmerie
Operational structure
Agency executive	Governors of the States, Commander
Parent agency	Military Reserve Force of Brazilian Army
Notables
Person	Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, for Patron
Significant operation	1828 - Mercenary Revolt (Royal Guard Police of Rio de Janeiro) 1835 - Ragamuffin War 1835 - Cabanagem 1835 - Malê Revolt 1838 - Balaiada 1848 - Praieira Revolt 1851 - Ronco da Abelha Revolt 1864 - Paraguayan War 1874 - Quebra-Quilos Revolt 1874 - Revolt of the Muckers 1893 - Revolt of the Navy 1893 - Federalist Revolution 1893 - War of Canudos 1920 - Fight against the Cangaço 1904 - Vaccine Revolt 1912 - Contestado War 1922 - Tenente Revolts 1924 - Revolts of 1924 1925 - Prestes Column 1930 - Revolution of 1930 1932 - Revolution of 1932 1935 - Communist Revolt 1967 - Guerrilla Warfares 1980 - Fights against narcotraffickers 2006 - 2006 São Paulo violence outbreak 2010 - 2010 Rio de Janeiro Security Crisis 2017 - 2017 Espírito Santo violence outbreak
Anniversary	21 April

Military Police^[a] are the uniformed preventive state police of the states and of the Federal District of Brazil. The Military Police units are the main ostensive police force at the state level and are responsible for policing and maintaining the public order. Their formations, rules and uniforms vary depending on the state. Investigative work and forensics are undertaken by the Civil Police of each state.

All state Military Police and Military Firefighters Corps are classed as reserve troops and ancillary forces of the Brazilian Army.^[3] In time of war (or other emergencies) the military police forces can be pressed into federal service. But they remain distinct from the provosts belonging to the other services within the Brazilian Military: the corps Army Police (Portuguese: Polícia do Exército, PE) for the Army, Police Company of the Naval Battalion (Companhia de Polícia do Batalhão Naval) for the Navy, and Air Force Police (Portuguese: Polícia da Aeronáutica, PA) for the Air Force.

In 2004 the National Public Security Force (Portuguese: Força Nacional de Segurança Pública) was created to handle major security crisis. The unit, which is composed of the most qualified Military Police personnel from all federal states, can only be deployed through the express command of a state governor.

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