PROFESSIONAL AND LEGAL TRAINING OF POLICE OFFICERS OF THE NATIONAL POLICE OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article studies the professional legal training of police officers of the National Police of Ukraine. In modern conditions, characterized by the reform of the law enforcement system, armed aggression against Ukraine, the effects of martial law, and the growing public demand for respect for human rights and freedoms, professional and legal training of police officers is of particular importance. In today's conditions, there is a need to form a new type of police officer – a highly qualified, morally stable, legally aware specialist who is able to act responsibly, legally, and effectively. The level of professional training of police officers directly affects the state of public safety, respect for human rights and freedoms, citizens' trust in state institutions, and the ability to combat crime. Namely, the professional and legal training of police officers is a key component of their professional competence, because it is the level of legal knowledge, skills and abilities that directly affects the legality of the use of coercive measures, the effectiveness of the performance of official duties, respect for human rights and the level of public trust in the police. In his daily activities, a police officer is faced with the need to promptly make lawful decisions in difficult and often extreme conditions, which requires a deep understanding of the norms of national and international law, as well as the established legal culture. A special role in this process is played by the combination of theoretical legal education with practical training, the use of interactive teaching methods, modeling of official situations, and the formation of sustainable skills for legal decision-making. It was concluded that the professional and legal training of police officers of the National Police of Ukraine is a fundamental condition for the effective performance of the tasks assigned to them in ensuring public safety, protecting human rights and freedoms, and combating crime. A high level of legal preparedness of a police officer is a guarantee of the legality of his actions, minimizing abuse of power, and increasing citizens' trust in law enforcement agencies. The development and modernization of professional and legal training of police officers should become one of the priority areas of state policy in the field of law enforcement activities, which will contribute to increasing the efficiency of the work of the National Police of Ukraine, establishing the principle of the rule of law and ensuring an adequate level of protection of human rights and freedoms in Ukrainian society.