This study aims to examine the organizational culture in police organizations, contribute in the analysis of these entities from the presentation of showing evidences the characteristics in terms of organizational culture and improve understanding of the own peculiarities of the public service, specifically the repressive institutions against crime. It developed a literature review and field study by case study method. The object of analysis was the Civil Police of Ceará's state and eight semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and analyzed. The analysis of the speech of the respondents indicated that prevail in the analyzed institution, fragmentary, ambiguous and contradictory positions, that may arise from tensions between preformed mental structures (especially in relation to the role of the bureaucracy) and the practices and procedures from the social construction of organizational actors. The passages in the delegates' reports illustrate that, even considering the level of required standardization in a police organization, even the leaders of grass-roots organizations (police district) are different in any aspects of activity and the organizational culture.
organizational culture; public administration; police organization
