TRAINING THE GUARDIANS OF PUBLIC ORDER IN THE PERIOD OF UKRAINIAN REVOLUTION (1917–1920)

Abstract

Revival of Ukrainian statehood, proclamation of Ukrainian People’s Republic was closely associated with the formation of new, Ukrainian agencies of public order, in particular with the organization of units of the Free Cossacks. Simultaneously there was the process of personnel training for this organization. There was a big staff circulation, lack of good management, lack of logistics in the units of the Free Cossacks, State Gendarmerie, People’s Guard and State Guard, which in fact performed police functions. Conditions of military confrontation of the period of Ukrainian revolution were reflected on their activities, so they could not perform fully their tasks. However, the personnel of these law enforcement agencies contributed to the struggle for the revival of Ukrainian statehood.

The process of developing law enforcement agencies and personnel training for them was extended during the period of Pavlo Skoropadskyi hetmanate. The feature of hetmanate period in Ukraine was the fact that unlike the Central Rada, and subsequently Directory, P. Skoropadskyi paid much attention to the law enforcement issues. Special courses were organized by the decree of provincial headman (city ataman) for special training of junior employees of general State Guards in each provincial city and provincial atamanship. The completion of such courses was obligatory for all employees of the State Guard including chief assistants of the areas. If an official was appointed to a higher position, he also had to study on the advanced training courses.