Theoretical and legal analysis of police activity in the rule-of-law state. functional purpose of the police in Ukraine

The article is devoted to the study of police activity as a phenomenon in democratic countries of the world, in particular Ukraine, the processes of development and structuring in the unified system of law enforcement bodies, the importance of the police in the context of ensuring national security, the identification of the functional purpose of the police In this work, on the basis of the analysis of legal documents and the results of the work of the National Police of Ukraine, international normative legal documents and scientific works, certain issues regarding the significance and functional purpose of the police and its units in the process of forming a legal state are considered. It was determined that for Ukraine, as a democratic legal state, national security is of strategic importance, especially against the background of numerous reforms and the growth of various internal and external threats. The study defines the role and place of the National Police as a law enforcement agency that performs important functions in ensuring national security through its powers and areas of activity, which are aimed at fighting crime, maintaining public safety and order, protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, as well as ensuring general safety in society. Keywords: police, National Police of Ukraine, tasks, functions, legal status, democratic state, civil society, security, policing, preventive activity.