ESTRATÉGIA DE COMUNICAÇÃO POLICIAL EM GERENCIAMENTO DE CRISE

Abstract

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the importance of the strategic use of police communication in crisis management, based on a theoretical approach and the case study of the kidnapping of Eloá Cristina Pimentel da Silva, which occurred in 2008. It is assumed that every crisis is a multifactorial event that feeds on management failures and worsens over time, potentially causing irreparable damage to the institutional image and to assets protected by law, such as human life. In theory, police communication operates on four levels: operational, tactical, strategic, and political. The strategic level is essential for protecting the institutional image, strengthening public trust, and minimizing harm to protected assets. The hypothesis developed here argues that controlling communication during crisis management is crucial for the success of police actions and the preservation of institutional legitimacy. The methodology adopted relied on deductive and inductive methods, with an exploratory and descriptive character, including bibliographic review, document analysis, and a case study on the kidnapping episode of the young Eloá in 2008, which exposed flaws in the communication strategy of the Military Police of the State of São Paulo. The study concludes that strategic communication is an indispensable instrument in crisis management and should be treated as an institutional tool within the Social Communication framework of Police Institutions, aimed at controlling and minimizing damage to public safety and order.

Keywords: Police Communication; Crisis Management; Strategic Communication; Institutional Legitimacy; Public Safety.