THE ROLE OF UKRAINIAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY AND CIVIL ORDER

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive study of the system for ensuring public safety and public order in Ukraine through the lens of the legal status, powers, and functional interaction of the principal law enforcement agencies. Particular attention is paid to the contemporary legal interpretation of the concept of «public safety», which gained relevance following the adoption of the Law of Ukraine «On the National Police, but still lacks a clear normative definition. The blurred boundaries between the categories of «civil security», «public order» and «law enforcement function» are emphasized, as they cause both theoretical and practical uncertainty in the regulation of relevant legal relations.The article systematizes the legal and regulatory sources governing the activities of the National Police, the Security Service of Ukraine, the National Guard, the State Emergency Service, and other entities involved in maintaining public order. It examines the issues of overlapping functions, fragmentation of legislation, and lack of coordination in powers at the inter-agency level. Special emphasis is placed on the functioning of law enforcement agencies under martial law, which increases the demands for effective cooperation, rapid response, strategic risk management, and consistent communication frameworks.The study generalizes the forms of inter-institutional interaction in the field of public security, highlights the role of the Ministry of Internal Affairs as a coordinating body, and analyzes the significance of the decisions of the National Security and Defense Council and presidential decrees in shaping security policy. The insufficient resource provision and the challenges of the digital age – ranging from cyber threats to disinformation – are underscored. The article substantiates the necessity of adopting a Public Safety Strategy as a foundational policy document to integrate the national security sector into the European system, adapt to NATO standards, develop digital response platforms, and enhance the involvement of civil society in security initiatives. A conceptual approach is proposed for updating legislation in the sphere of public safety, taking into account the challenges of war, administrative reform, and the humanization of law enforcement activities.