The NACP is cooperating with the National Police and the Academy of Patrol Police to enhance the integrity level of the police officers

02.11.2023

Over 8,000 police officers participated in the first online event, “Integrity in Practice: Key Issues from Police Officers," organized by the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP). The event focused on the practical aspects of building integrity within the police, the role of the NACP, key aspects of conflict of interest, the whistleblowing mechanism, conducting special integrity checks, and more. Citizens should perceive the police as an institution that protects their rights and freedoms and reflects the will of society. Increasing the level of trust is a step towards improving integrity and, therefore, effectiveness. "An important part of the State Anti-Corruption Program till 2025, which we are implementing together, is the development of a culture of integrity. There are two strategies that are designed to make each of us and our organizations effective: a rule-based strategy and a values-based/ethical strategy. We have developed a comprehensive training program for all categories of public servants, including police officers, for the implementation of these strategies. Since they are the largest category of officials who interact with citizens on a daily basis and have the most significant impact on trust building in the state as a whole," said Oleksandr Novikov, Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP). According to him, citizens' trust in the police has increased from 11% to 31% over the past year, and these are significant changes within society that result from effective work. "The National Police of Ukraine is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in terms of personnel, and it interacts with the public on a daily basis. In this challenging time for the state, it is extremely important for both our service and every citizen to be honest and guided by the interests of the state and society," said Ivan Vyhivskyi, Head of the National Police of Ukraine. According to him, one of the key documents for the National Police is the Anti-Corruption Program, which covers 11 areas of activity. Some of the measures introduced to reduce corruption risks include the use of polygraph tests, a unified weapons registry, the implementation of video recording systems in police departments (Custody Records), the use of body cameras by police officers, the integration of the police into the Unified Whistleblower Portal, and more. For example, over two thousand police officers have refused unlawful benefits and reported them to the relevant departments as an example of their commitment to integrity. You can watch the video recording of the event by following the link. As a reminder, the NACP, in collaboration with the National Police of Ukraine and the Academy of Patrol Police, developed the "Integrity in the Police" course, which was taken by over 20,000 police officers. You can access the course by clicking on the provided link.