Police policies and left governments. The case of Uruguay

Abstract

During the last few decades, our region has had examples of police reforms. Institutional backwardness, corruption, collusion with organized crime and management modalities based on violence and abuse have been at the base of transformation impulses. In Uruguay, the police have not been a priority concern in the area of public management. On the contrary, it has always been assumed that it is the main player of security and that the essential functions for the prevention and control of crime have been slim.

This article summarizes an investigation carried out in the framework of the project “Turn left and police policy in South America (a comparable approach)”. Through-out the following pages, it will be sought to describe the main milestones in police policy during the first two governments of the Frente Amplio, compared to the different moments and placing the general sense that the changes have acquired.