THE VITAL ROLE OF CONTINUOUS TRAINING OF MILITARY POLICE OFFICERS IN PREVENTING AND INTERVENING AGAINST ACTIVE AGGRESSOR ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

The increase in threats from active aggressors, especially in school environments, has generated profound reflections and pertinent immediate responses from public security forces, education professionals and the general population. Mass attacks and massacres, crimes that are more common in the United States and previously rare in Brazil, now occupy the national news with significant frequency. According to recent data from Instituto Sou da Paz (2023), in the last 20 years, Brazil has recorded 25 violent attacks in school environments, with more than half of these incidents occurring in the last 5 years (2019-2023). Notably, two of the three attacks that resulted in the highest number of casualties took place in the period 2019 to 2022. In a total of 25 attacks, 139 lives were lost and 93 people suffered non-fatal injuries. Furthermore, 12 of the 24 attacks involved the use of firearms, often from residential environments and acquired by attackers from their own parents or family members. Faced with this alarming problem, society calls for a response from the State, involving the implementation of effective public policies, in addition to measures aimed at training security forces, guidance for academic staff and the population in general, as well as a reflection on responsibility of the media in covering these events. Although each entity involved has specific missions, their attitudes become fundamental in defending innocent lives and building safer environments.