Police Brazil

In Brazil, the Federal Constitution establishes five different law enforcement agencies: the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police, the Federal Railway Police, the Military Police and the State Civil Police. Of these, the first three are affiliated with the federal authorities and the last two subordinate to the state governments. All police institutions are part of the executive branch of any federal or state government.

According to the Federal Supreme Court (STF), the security forces considered only police units under Brazilian law are those contained in Article 144 of the Federal Constitution, that is, the five police forces mentioned above.

There are two main police functions: maintaining law and order. When criminal offenses affect federal agencies, federal police forces perform these duties. In other cases, state police forces undertake these activities.