Problematic aspects of at the scene police work with victims of terrorist acts on the territory of Ukraine

Abstract

The relevance of this study is conditioned by the fact that as of 2024, the population of Ukraine will be subjected to mass terror in the form of air strikes by a military adversary, and therefore law enforcement officers must provide qualified first aid and psychological support at the crime scene. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of police officers’ work at the scene of a terrorist attack and to identify barriers that have a negative impact on establishing contact with victims. The necessity of scientific development of a mechanism for involving professional psychologists – specialists in life crises in work with victims was substantiated. The following theoretical and empirical methods were used to achieve the objectives: surveys and questionnaires, extrapolations, and synergistic methods. The empirical study found that since the declaration of martial law in Ukraine, the range of risks to the life and health of police officers working in the stressful conditions of military conflict has considerably expanded. This necessitates improving the system of professional and psychological support and training of police officers. The study examined the specifics of police work with victims at the scene of terrorist acts, their psychological state related to such work. It is proposed to revise the legislative framework governing the interaction of police officers with other services in eliminating the consequences of terrorist acts. Based on the analysis of foreign scientific studies, it is proposed to use an unmanned aerial vehicle with artificial intelligence to identify persons in need of emergency assistance in the area affected by a terrorist attack. The study emphasised the significance of familiarising police officers with emergency first aid protocols during their in-service training and additional training to master the rules of providing the necessary assistance to victims. The practical significance of the study is that its results can be used to improve the process of supporting the activities of police officers under martial law