Abstract
<jats:p>The aim of the study is to provide a theoretical basis for the specifics of social regulation mechanisms for the adaptation of internal affairs officers, and to reveal their structure and content. The methodological basis of the study is based on a methodological paradigm that integrates systemic, functional, and institutional approaches. The results of the study. It is shown that the adaptation of internal affairs officers does not boil down to one-sided submission to norms, but is a dynamic form of interaction between the individual and the social environment, which implies the possibility of choosing tactics and strategies of behavior within the framework of established regulators. This requires a transition from normative control to management focused on the internal acceptance of the values of the service. It is substantiated that the mechanisms of social regulation of the adaptation of internal affairs officers represent a complex self-organizing system, the effectiveness of which depends on the balanced interaction of legislative, organizational, sociocultural, and value factors. The prospects for further research and practical work lie in the development of comprehensive programs for supporting the adaptation of internal affairs officers, which integrate legal, psychological, organizational, and value components and are based on the principle of social partnership between law enforcement agencies, the population, and civil society institutions.</jats:p>