Representação social de polícia por crianças que frequentam creche em favela: Social representation of “police” by children from a daycare in a favela

The research investigated the police social representations for childreen of a daycare, located in a Rio de Janeiro’s slum. It was based on the Theory of Social Representations in dialogue with the perspectivo of developmental psychology, in the approach of Vygosky. Ten children participated, opting for microgenetic analysis, and for the data production the interactions established in play were filmed. Three episodes were selected in which there were reference to the “police”. The metaphors, “fericious lion”, “dog barking”, and “Caveirao” reveled the image of a “bad”, “dangerous” police, that “hurts” and “kills”, generatins fear. The social contexto was fundamental for the research of the social representation of police, wich does not inspire children’s trust.