Code of Ethics in the Police Profession as a Means of Shaping the Relationship between the Police and Civil Society

Police work takes place in concrete social conditions. In order to perform its functions effectively, the Police Force must strive to be as credible as possible. This also stems from the understanding of the police in contemporary society, which is anchored in the European Code of Police Ethics. The paper discusses the current challenges of formulating a code of ethics in the police profession in terms of building a relationship between the police and civil society. It is based on the current discussions in the European context and the challenges arising from the updating of the Code of Ethics of Police Officer in the Slovak Republic. In the context of shaping the relationship between the police and civil society, it focuses on the elements of virtue ethics implemented in the ethical document and the aspect of the credibility of the Police Force against the background of the update of the Code of Ethics of Police Officer.