Dear colleagues!

More than 100 years of training of law enforcement officers, 26 of them in the status of the university - this is the “track record” of Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, which has already become my home.

“A thief should be in prison” - this slogan from the cult film “The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed” lodged in my memory during the first film screening on television in 1979. However, in order for a thief to be in prison, it requires deep knowledge of legal disciplines, honesty and dedication, and good physical training. All this can be given to the cadet and the student by our University. Being a Head of the Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine in Kharkiv Region for some time, I became convinced that the staff trained by Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs can solve problems of any complexity, have good theoretical and physical training, can quickly master practical skills. We will continue to cooperate with the University, accept its graduates, teach them and learn from the best professors of the educational establishment.

The scientific and practical conference, to which I write congratulations, is an accumulation of experience in the development of education and science at Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs over a significant historical period. For many years, the University has been training specialists for various law enforcement agencies, various sectors of the State’s economy, the number of which has exceeded 50.000. Its experience is not only the property of Kharkiv and Kharkiv Region, but also the property of the whole state, it is significant, instructive and interesting. And, importantly, the University has always been at the forefront of departmental education. It was the first police university in the post-Soviet space, this was the place where “Kharkiv standard” of police training was created, and the importance of higher legal education for law enforcement officers was proved in practice. Being the first is always honorable and difficult, and these difficulties have been and will be, but the main thing is that the University has never doubted the reality of the tasks and, ultimately, reached the required heights. I say this not from other people's words, but my own experience - as the rector of the University, who headed it for almost 4 years. The history of the University is years of search and accomplishments. His future, I'm sure, is on the same path. There are guidelines set by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the University has highly qualified lecturers, so I see significant prospects for its further development.

On this significant, important, and memorable day for Kharkiv National University of Internal Affairs, I wish all scientific and pedagogical staff of the university, employees, cadets, students, participants good health, new victories, new achievements in science, new cups and medals, always keep in shape and don’t be the second at celebrations and triumphs of life.

Rector of Kharkiv National

University of Internal Affairs in 2015-2019,

Head of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Kharkiv Region,

Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Legal Sciences,

Professor, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine,

Police General of the third rank Valerii SOKURENKO