Background: Physical training is an integral part of policemen's professional training. The aim of the study is to verify experimentally the effectiveness of the authors' methodology of training future patrol policemen targeted at increasing their general physical fitness level during the primary professional training course.

The regulatory documents and scientific literature, which highlights the specifics of the study of the future officers of the Ukrainian National Police, were investigated. The analysis of the activity of police officers, who had to deal with armed and aggressive offenders, was analyzed. The conducted research substantiated the original methodology of the preparation of future police officers for contact with an offender, armed with a cold weapon, and tested its efficiency. The essence of the original methodology is to form the future police officers' professionally significant skills and competencies to apply coercive measures on the basis of the acquired special theoretical knowledge, introduced into the educational process of tactical and special training of simulated situational tasks and to develop professionally important psychological qualities. The study involved cadets, having entered educational institutions in 2016 (n=227), who were studying at the National Academy of Internal Affairs (Kyiv, Ukraine). The experimental (EG, n=111) and control (CG, n=116) groups were formed. The efficiency of the original methodology was evaluated by the indicators of theoretical and practical readiness of cadets and by the psychological qualities' development level. The results of the experiment showed the efficiency of the original methodology in comparison to the traditional one: theoretical preparedness of the EG cadets was improved by 46.8%, CG -by 2.4%; practical readiness of the EG cadets was increased by 37.3%, CG -by 5.1%. The high level of cadets' professionally significant skills acquired during studying contributed to the improvement of the efficiency of their future professional activity.

The stages of formation of professional preparedness of patrol and security police department employees are theoretically substantiated in the article. The patrol and security police department employees from Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions (n=92) took part in the investigation. The analysis of scientific literature and statutory documents regulating professional training of the National Police of Ukraine employees was carried out. The content of the "professional preparedness of the police officer" term was clarified. The stages of formation of professional preparedness of police employees, which include the stage of professional self-determination, professional formation and professional growth, were distinguished. Based on the conducted research, the noncompliance of the physical preparedness level of the patrol and security police employees with the crime situation requirements in the country was established.

<p><span lang="EN-US">In this paper, the scientific sources analysis was presented. The peculiarities of the professional competence formation of the future patrol officers were determined. Moreover, the specifics of the service activity of patrol officers were considered. The original method for the formation of professional competence of modern police officers was substantiated and tested its effectiveness. The essence of this methodology was to introduce simulated situational tasks, aimed at forming the professional skills and abilities of future police officers. The pedagogical experiment involved students of the primary vocational training course applied in 2018 (n=183) who were studying at the center of primary vocational training “Police Academy” of the National Academy of Internal Affairs (Kyiv, Ukraine). An experimental (EG, n=93) and control (CG, n=90) group were formed. Cognitive and operational criteria evaluated the efficiency of the original methodology. The results of the pedagogical experiment indicated the greater efficiency of the original methods compared to the traditional one. A significant (р&lt;0.05-0.001) improvement of the indicators “Knowledge of professional and practical course”, “Professional and practical skills formation” and “The effectiveness of solving scenarios” was designated. </span></p>

Based on the analysis of the scientific literature, the peculiarities of the formation of professional competence of future employees of the National Police of Ukraine and its components are determined. The specifics of service activity of patrol policemen are considered. It is stated that the level of professional competence of police officers is low, and sometimes insufficient. A set of requirements for the professional competence and professionalism of law enforcement officers has been formulated. Areas of professional training that need improvement are outlined. The practical aspects of formation of professional competence of patrol police officers are covered. Practical tools aimed at improving the efficiency of the patrol training process as a professional have been developed. The author's method of forming professionally competent patrol police officers is substantiated, its efficiency is tested. The essence of this technique is to introduce into the educational process of simulated situational tasks, which aim to form professional skills and abilities. The pedagogical experiment involved students of the course of primary professional training of police recruits in 2019 (n = 61), who studied at the center of primary professional training «Police Academy» of the National Academy of Internal Affairs (Kyiv). An experimental (n = 31) and control (n = 30) groups were formed. The experimental group included students who studied the author's method, the control group - students who studied the traditional method of teaching. The effectiveness of the author's methodology was evaluated by cognitive and operational criteria. Cognitive criterion was determined by indicators: 1) knowledge of the legislative unit; 2) knowledge of professional and practical direction. The operational criterion was characterized by the following indicators: 1) the formation of professional and practical skills; 2) the effectiveness of scripting. The results of the pedagogical experiment testified to the effectiveness of the author's method in comparison with the traditional one. The use of the proposed innovations contributed to a significant improvement of the cognitive criterion «Knowledge of professional and practical direction» (p <0.05) and indicators of the operational criterion «Formation of professional and practical skills» (p <0.05) and «Effectiveness of scenarios» ( p <0.001). It was stated that the experimental group had a larger number of people with a high and sufficient level of professional competence in the selected indicators. Prospects for further research are to substantiate the means and methods of forming the professional competence of police officers during training in the training system.