POLICE APPROACHES TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS: LEGAL LIMITS, SOCIAL VULNERABILITY, AND LEGAL CERTAINTY IN THE ACTIONS OF THE PARANÁ MILITARY POLICE

Abstract

Police stop-and-frisk procedures constitute a typical manifestation of the police power exercised by the Military Police. When directed at individuals experiencing homelessness, such intervention becomes particularly sensitive due to the social vulnerability of this group and the significant increase in allegations of abuse of authority. This article examines the legal limits of police stops involving homeless individuals within the scope of the Military Police of the State of Paraná, in light of the Federal Constitution, statutory legislation, and contemporary constitutional and administrative legal doctrine. The study adopts a deductive method with a qualitative approach, based on systematic bibliographic and normative analysis, drawing particularly on the theoretical categories of human dignity, substantive equality, police power, and proportionality. The objective is to analyze how military police officers should act in this context, reconciling the preservation of public order with respect for fundamental rights, while also proposing institutional guidelines aimed at enhancing legal certainty in police conduct.