Communication as a means of influence on public opinion regarding the assessment of the National Police activities

Abstract

The article examines communication as a means of influencing public opinion regarding the assessment of the National Police activities. The Roadmap on the Rule of Law in the context of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union under Cluster 1 «Fundamentals of the EU Accession Process» provides for reforming the National Police activities with a focus on increasing public trust in the police. One way to strengthen police cooperation with civil society institutions and citizens is to communicate between representatives of the National Police and relevant departments to align police activities with the public need to ensure public safety and order under the legal framework of martial law. This determines the relevance of the research topic. The object of the study is the social relations in the field of communication between departments and officials of the National Police and citizens and civil society institutions in the context of the National Strategy for the Promotion of Civil Society Development in Ukraine for 2021–2026. The subject matter of the study is the legal provisions that regulate communication between the police and civil society institutions. The article analyses the impact of public opinion regarding police activities on the effectiveness of the performance of police duties under the legal regime of martial law, as well as the means and methods of communication of the National Police departments and officials to create a positive public opinion of police activities. Under martial law, the issue of effective communication between departments and officials of the National Police takes on significant importance, requiring the use of new forms and methods of informing the public. It is noted that national legislation lacks provisions setting out possible courses of action when assessing public opinion, particularly in the event of positive or negative public opinion, and, consequently, the effectiveness of the forms and methods of communication used. It is important to counter russia’s information expansion.