THE ROLE OF THE LEGAL CULTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN ENSURING HUMAN RIGHTS

The article explores the role of legal culture among law enforcement officers in safeguarding human rights and freedoms. The author argues that legal culture is not merely a component of general culture or professional knowledge, but a fundamental mechanism that guides lawful behavior and shapes the legitimacy and effectiveness of the rule of law. The study outlines the structural elements of legal culture, including legal awareness, values, professional ethics, and skills necessary for lawful conduct. It emphasizes the direct connection between the level of legal culture among law enforcement personnel and the public’s trust in state institutions. The paper analyzes the challenges facing legal culture in Ukraine and examines best practices from European countries, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia in fostering a responsible approach to the rule of law. Special attention is paid to mechanisms for improving legal culture—through education, continuous training, ethical standards, transparency, and cooperation with civil society. The author concludes that strengthening legal culture within law enforcement is a strategic prerequisite for building a rule-of-law-based democratic state and ensuring the protection of human rights. References 1. Kumeda, T. A., & Sheremenda, A. O. (2013). The legal culture of a police officer. Filosofski ta metodolohichni problemy prava, (1-2), 107–112. Retrieved from https://irbis-nbuv.gov.ua/cgi-bin/opac/search.exe?C21COM=2&I21DBN=UJRN&IMAGE_FILE_DOWNLOAD=1&Image_file_name=PDF%2FFmpp_2013_1-2_23.pdf 2. Rahayu, D. P., Faisal, A., Yokotani, R. S., & Satrio, N. (2020). Law enforcement in the context of legal culture in society. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363221658_Law_Enforcement_in_the_Context_of_Legal_Culture_in_Society 3. Shkarovskyi, O. (2023). Formation of police officers’ legal culture: Theoretical approaches. Scientific Notes of the Institute of Criminal-Executive Service, 2(20), 138–146. Retrieved from https://library.pp-ss.pro/index.php/ndippsn_20231124/article/download/shkarovskyi/pdf/1822 4. Shatrava, S. O. (2022). Human rights and police activities in Ukraine during martial law. DSpace of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs. Retrieved from https://dspace.univd.edu.ua/entities/publication/0b995409-7a6f-4de7-a6da-866d78346599 5. United Nations Human Rights Office. (2004). Human rights and law enforcement: A manual on human rights training for the police. Professional Training Series No. 5/Add.3. Retrieved from https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/publications/professional-training/manual-hr-for-law-enforcement-officials-ch21.pdf 6. Bowling, B. (2007). Policing and human rights: Towards a framework for accountability. Retrieved from https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/45934/4.pdf 7. Transparency International Georgia. (2020). Public trust in law enforcement in Georgia. National Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved from https://niss-priority.com/index.php/journal/article/download/263/250 8. Association of Ukrainian Monitors on Human Rights Conduct in Law Enforcement. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Ukrainian_Monitors_on_Human_Rights_Conduct_in_Law_Enforcement