General professional initial training of police officers, first accepted for service: prerequisites and essence

Seleznev Vladimir Igorevich ORCID: 0000-0001-9426-360X Independent scientist 196606, Russia, St. Petersburg region, Pushkin, General Khazov str., 34, sq. 14 seleznevvl@mail.ru Other publications by this author

Introduction. In modern conditions, the Russian Federation is facing serious challenges and threats to national security. Armed conflicts in the immediate vicinity of the Russian borders, the activity of international terrorism, organized crime, as well as possible criminal risks (illegal migration, drug crime, fraudulent actions in the field of telecommunications and computer information, etc.) require the state to effectively combat crime in its various manifestations.

The attitude of society to the internal affairs bodies largely depends on the purposeful fight against corruption, the protection of citizens, their property and business from criminal encroachments, ensuring security and order in public places, countering extremism, terrorism, propaganda of violence, xenophobia, and nationalism. The overall calm in the development of the country depends on the observance by all citizens, without exception, of the laws of the Russian Federation, respect for national traditions and culture, and countering the involvement of young people in the activities of various sites promoting extremist, suicidal and other manifestations of religious or racial intolerance.

To solve the above tasks against the background of the renewal of human resources, the state needs trained specialists with a certain set of professional and personal abilities, professional training, who are able and ready for effective law enforcement activities – activities to protect the rights and interests of society and its citizens.

As practice shows, the results of qualification examinations and final attestations of various job categories already prepared in the existing system of professional training of police officers who were first accepted into service are not high enough. For example, the results of students studying at the nth educational organization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the period 2016-2020 showed that their average score in the complex of general education, physical, general professional and professional components of training varies from 3.4 to 3.6 points out of a possible five. The data are presented as part of the author's study of the results of the examination sheets of police officers who were first recruited and completed training at the nth educational organization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. This also indicates insufficient basic training of a police officer for subsequent official activity in various positions in the internal affairs bodies.

In a short period of time (from 4 to 6 months), it is almost impossible to carry out generally high-quality professional training of a police officer by obtaining basic knowledge, forming primary skills of a complex profession, basic skills and readiness to implement them in further official activities. Therefore, the solution of this problem requires scientific research and, from our point of view, a theoretical justification of the general professional initial training of police officers who were first recruited.

The results of the study (the main part). The study showed that from the beginning of the origin of primitive civilization, Slavic tribes and the first Ancient Russian states, the education (preparation) of people for a safe existence took the form of "apprenticeship", the prototype of modern "mentoring" and was preserved on the territory of the ancient Russian states throughout the VI - XVII centuries. Training in this historical period was of the nature of "training special people to perform special tasks" depending on the specific task and was carried out by the method of "teaching the younger by the elders", based on specific life experience, was conducted chaotically, haphazardly until the beginning of the XIX century.

A landmark event in the formation of professional police education in Russia is the creation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs on September 8, 1802, which required professionally trained personnel for effective police service. The training of lyceum students provided for the formation of certain personal qualities in young people, moral and psychological stability, knowledge of regulatory legal acts of the state, physical readiness and ability to perform tasks assigned to them, which was a necessary requirement for the graduate and the quality of his training. However, this period is characterized by a certain inconsistency. On the one hand, as a positive moment, special programs are being developed to train police officers in various educational institutions of the country, on the other, as many researchers note, graduates, due to contradictory instructions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, were "unclaimed". The end of the XIX – beginning of the XX century in Russia is characterized by the lack of a clear, structured and effective system of police training.

During the formation of the Soviet state, the training of Soviet police officers of that period did not contribute to their full acquisition of professional knowledge and skills and did not correspond to the professional initial level of their training. In the 30s of the XX century, with all the shortcomings of that period, a system of vocational training was first created, which provided an influx of trained police officers to police units. During the second half of the XX century, various scientific schools and research teams were created in the USSR on the basis of many educational institutions. They were engaged in the development and introduction into the educational process of advanced theories and teaching methods for that time, training programs, forms and methods, including the initial general professional component of the training of police officers, including versatile humanities (general education disciplines), legal (regulatory framework) and special knowledge (specifics of a specific professional activity). However, since about the mid-80s of the XX century, new priorities in professional training began to be put forward – orientation towards citizens, protection of their rights and freedoms, public relations and, in general, the development of a person's personality, and not only the formation of high moral, volitional, physical and moral qualities, personal responsibility of an employee for the performance of official duties debt. This also affected the structure of initial training, its minor changes at the beginning of the new millennium (the introduction of block-modular technology into the training system) and the requirements imposed on employees of internal affairs bodies. However, the insufficient quality level of the employee's preparation for actions in difficult, extreme conditions associated with official activity did not give the expected results in full.

To the training of personnel in the Russian Federation at the present stage, for the replacement of positions in the police, carried out through professional training, including the development of a general professional cycle, there are increased requirements, in particular, to the level of development of the employee's psyche, intelligence, emotional and volitional qualities of the individual, compliance by the employee with a number of requirements, restrictions and prohibitions, etc.

An important result of the theoretical substantiation was the development of a model of general professional initial training of police officers in modern conditions. The signs of the developed model of general professional initial training of police officers are its integrity and coherence, the presence of input and output, the presence of components and connections between them, the structuring of the system, the subordination of the entire system to a single goal – the readiness of police officers for professional activity.

The model of general professional initial training of police officers is presented in our study as the unity, integrity and coherence of the following components:

1) the social order of the society for the training of police officers;

2) regulatory legal acts through which professional training of police officers is carried out;

3) educational system of professional training of police officers in educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia;

4) subsystem of general professional initial training of police officers for various categories of police officers;

5) the purpose of general professional initial training of police officers;

6) content-based educational process of general professional initial training of police officers;

7) the result of general professional initial training as the readiness of police officers for professional activity.

The general professional initial training of police officers has been investigated and analyzed as a pedagogical process of training police officers, which is also a systematic activity for the training of a police officer carried out as part of the entire integrated system of professional training of police officers in the internal affairs bodies.

The general professional initial training of police officers, being a separate category of the pedagogical process, is implemented at the initial stage of professional training (the first stage of training) and creates conditions for the formation and subsequent development of the personality of police officers on the basis of the formed basic level of general professional knowledge, skills, abilities and readiness for professional activity.

For example, a police officer begins training as an employee of the patrol and post service of the police, and then, based on the results of general professional initial training, he may be able to continue the professionally specialized part of professional training as a district police commissioner or an employee of the duty part of the police department.

The developed model of general professional initial training of police officers has systemic properties and is a system for the development of basic general professional knowledge, skills, skills and personal qualities of police officers of all official categories, which meets the needs of departments and services of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the renewal of personnel potential, the formation of the personality of a police officer in modern conditions.

Thus, the general professional initial training of police officers should be aimed at achieving by employees the necessary basic general professional level of knowledge, skills and abilities and readiness to perform tasks of operational and official activity and official duties, taking into account professional and personal capabilities, professional preparedness, moral and psychological state and service (work) experience.

Educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in modern conditions implement professional training programs for police officers who are first recruited for various job categories and different educational levels, which are developed by different educational organizations, but the percentage distribution of cycles of general professional orientation in these training programs is no different.

From our point of view, the programs must necessarily reflect the assessment and result of the training of a police officer as a person capable of performing various professional and official tasks. However, according to the results of professional training, how to evaluate such formed personal qualities, characteristics and abilities of police officers:

- motivation and professional interest in service in the internal affairs bodies;  

- demanding of oneself and responsibility for one's actions and deeds;

- determination and decency in various areas of professional activity;

- morality, compliance with ethical standards and dedication, including in conditions of risk to life;

- reasonable initiative and resistance to various stressful, conflict situations;

- readiness to interact with citizens and cooperate with public organizations; 

- psychological readiness for the lawful and justified use of force, special means and firearms;

- professional competence of a police officer as a person, readiness for further training in the chosen profession (specialty) and advanced training;

the existing vocational training programs do not specify, are not considered and are not justified.

In addition, the duration of the existing system of professional training of police officers recruited for the first time is from 4 to 6 months (at the same time, 1.5 to 2.5 months are allocated for mastering the general professional cycle). Such a short period, from our point of view, is extremely insufficient for a future police officer in any position.

Thus, it is impossible to do without making changes to the existing professional training of police officers, the use of various forms, methods, tools and technologies aimed primarily at the formation of the personality of the subject of professional activity, ready and capable of professional activity.

The most important component in the model of general professional initial training of police officers is a reformatted content-based educational process of general professional initial training of police officers.

Reformatting was carried out by combining academic disciplines (subjects, courses) of a general professional orientation into 5 (five) interrelated subject blocks: physical training, psychological training, socio-moral development, legal and special training. Also, in the educational process of the general professional initial training of police officers, the main functions of the formation of the employee's personality were of crucial importance for achieving the goal: compensatory-adaptive, developing and educating functions.

Within the framework of the educational process, a set of author's training technologies was used, which differs from the set of forms, methods and technologies in the existing system of vocational training in the educational organization of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, namely:

- "the model of actions of a police officer in the suppression of offenses"^{[1, pp.177-184.]};

- "the model of readiness of a police officer for actions on prevention and suppression of offenses"^{[2, pp.289-295]}.

The assessment of readiness for professional activity of police officers is proposed in the study to be carried out according to the following main criteria and indicators:

 - cognitive criterion – indicator – general professional initial knowledge, skills and abilities of police officers;

- personal criterion – indicator – general professional initial personal qualities and abilities of police officers;

- activity criterion – indicator – general professional initial competencies of police officers.

For an objective assessment of readiness for professional activity of police officers in the study, we identified 3 (three) main levels of it: critical (low), acceptable (medium), optimal (high).

The critical (low) level of readiness for professional activity corresponds to: insufficient general physical development of a police officer, requires control of his mental health, self-control, stress resistance at a low level, including in cases involving a risk to life. External motivation to the profession dominates, weak professional interest in service in the internal affairs bodies, the employee is not able to tolerate resistance to difficulties and hardships in official activity, insufficient knowledge of the legal foundations of the profession "policeman" and lack of desire for professional growth.  Unwillingness to observe discipline, low demands on oneself and others, manifestation of indecision and lack of initiative in most situations, unwillingness to cooperate and interact. The general professional qualities of a police officer's personality are at a low level, there is an inability to get citizens to stop illegal actions, unwillingness to physically confront the offender, inefficiency of actions in a difficult operational environment and performing tasks of increased complexity in conditions of risk to their own lives and ensuring personal safety and the safety of others. Low level of general professional knowledge, skills, skills and competence, unwillingness to use physical force, special police means, weapons, if necessary, as well as weak skills and abilities to use special forensic equipment and information technologies, first aid to oneself or victims in extreme situations.

The acceptable (average) level of readiness for professional activity corresponds to: satisfactory general physical development and mental health of a police officer, self-control, stress tolerance at an acceptable level. External motivation to the profession prevails, however, professional interest in service in a particular position is also manifested, however, the inability to tolerate resistance to difficulties is reflected in official activity, knowledge of the legal foundations of the "policeman" profession is satisfactory, but there is no desire for professional growth.  Possible violations of discipline due to low demands on yourself and others. At the same time, there is a willingness to cooperate and interact, a reasonable initiative is demonstrated. The general professional qualities of a police officer's personality are at an average level, the ability to get citizens to stop illegal actions is manifested, but it is not always possible to physically confront the offender due to poor physical fitness. Effectiveness is manifested in actions in a standard operational environment, however, the performance of a task of increased complexity causes difficulties, including in conditions of risk to one's own life and ensuring personal safety and the safety of others. The level of general professional knowledge, skills, skills and competence is satisfactory, however, there is an unwillingness to use physical force, special police means, weapons if necessary due to doubts about the legality, hesitation in their application, skills and abilities to use special forensic equipment and information technology, first aid to oneself or victims in extreme situations are satisfactory.

The optimal (high) level of readiness for professional activity corresponds to: general physical development and mental health of a police officer at a high level, self-control, stress resistance, including in cases involving a risk to life, is manifested. High internal motivation for the profession, persistent interest professional interest in service in the internal affairs bodies, willingness to endure resistance to difficulties and hardships in official activity, excellent and good knowledge of the legal foundations of the profession "policeman" and present  striving for professional growth.  There are no violations of discipline, high demands on oneself and others, determination in actions and deeds, initiative, willingness to cooperate and interact. Special general professional qualities of a police officer's personality are at a high level, the ability to get citizens to stop illegal actions, the ability to effectively physically confront the offender, competent actions in a difficult operational environment and when performing tasks of increased complexity in conditions of risk to their own lives and ensuring personal safety and the safety of others is manifested. A high level of general professional knowledge, skills, skills and competence, a conscious willingness to use physical force, special police means, weapons, if necessary, as well as to apply skills and abilities to use special forensic equipment and information technologies, first aid to oneself or victims in extreme situations and in any environment ^[3,4].

Conclusion (conclusions). The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that the theoretically justified general professional initial training of police officers who were first recruited, representing a separate category of the systemic pedagogical process, is a subsystem in the existing professional training of police officers in educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

It is aimed at the formation of basic general professional knowledge, skills, as well as qualities, characteristics and abilities of an employee's personality that meet both the general requirements for the professional activities of police officers and the effectiveness of this activity, regardless of positions and educational level.

In the process of general professional initial training, a police officer of the XXI century will be able to fully master general professional competencies, as well as fully demonstrate "general professional competence" in the course of official activity.

The model of general professional initial training of police officers is aimed at the formation of the personality of the subject of professional activity – a police officer as a citizen, defender of life, health, rights and freedoms of citizens, the interests of society and the state, a patriot of his Fatherland. The model of general professional initial training of police officers is focused on a single result – the readiness of police officers for professional activity. The structure and content of the model of general professional initial training of police officers, as well as the levels of readiness of police officers for professional activity can be used by educational organizations of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the development of exemplary training programs for professional training of employees of various job categories.