Abstract: The subject of the article covers the legal and organizational problems of public control in the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The author draws attention to the forms and methods of this type of control. On the base of the analysis the author formulates the proposals about the improvement of control mechanisms in the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. The article notes that public council should not become a kind of an elitist "closed club" of public figures close to the Ministry and its head. Judging by the practice of the previous years, such a risk exists. It is essential for every member of the public council to work actively and productively within the competence established for the Public Council.The methodology of the research is based on the modern achievements of epistemology. The study uses the theoretical and general philosophical methods (dialectics, the system method, analysis, synthesis, analogy, deduction, observation, modeling), the traditional legal methods and techniques used in empirical sociological studies (statistics, expert assessments, etc.). .The article concludes that the main emphasis in the development of social groups in the area of public order protection is now made on the creation of public councils under the public bodies and, most importantly, the filling of their activities with a real content. It is proved that it is not enough to create an appropriate public council, it is necessary for it to have an opportunity to unfluence the decision-making process, including personnel policy.