The public opinion study as a way to optimize the police activity

The article deals with the problem of public opinion study as the principal method of optimizing the police activity. The author considers that public opinion as a form of social consciousness determines communicative processes and influences on the government activity, including internal affairs bodies’ activity. The qualitative assessment of the police activity that is expressed in the analysis of the public opinion of the citizens concerning the internal affairs bodies’activity allows making the most objective conclusions on their activity effectiveness. The author noted the criteria for the evaluation of the internal affairs bodies’activity which include: citizens’ confidence in protection of their personal and property interests; the public confidence in the police, the sense of personal security, citizens’ willingness to support the police. The measurement of the given criteria is carried out by means of the empirical studies involving the direct participation of the author of the article. The analysis of the empirical data showed an increased percentage of the positive assessments of the citizens who express their confidence in the protection of their personal and property interests, as well as, some growth of the level of trust in the police. The author pays attention to the fact that, in spite of the positive trends in the citizens evaluation of the police activity after internal affairs bodies reforming, there is still a large reserve for constructive cooperation of the population with the police. In conclusion the author points out that the police activity optimization is possible with continuous monitoring of the public opinion in the form of the open dialogue with the population will lead to the police ability to respond to the constructive proposals of the population in order to optimize their activity.