Building Trust between Police and Community to Ensure Public Safety: The Case of Oromiya Regional State, Ethiopia

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to identify the critical factors playing a significant role in the implementation of community policing, partnering the police and community to work together on the safety, peace, and security of the area. Six woredas located in the West Wollega Zone of Oromiya Regional State were selected after consulting the crime statistics and performance reports of community policing. Informants enrolled in interviews and filling out the questionnaires were selected purposely. Percentiles and thematic analysis were the procedures employed to give meaning to data generated in multiple ways. The findings show that community policing strategies are not helping the inhabitants to ensure peace and safety. It further indicated that a lack of trust between the police and the communities is one of the factors impeding the implementation. The community's conception of peace and leaving all the responsibilities of ensuring law, peace, and order to the police are part of the findings. On the one hand, the residential community views the police negatively and is unlikely to share the responsibilities for the area's safety and peace. It is thus keen to build trust between the police and the community to set up a partnership on solid ground to achieve the strategic emphasis of community policing. Key Terms: Crime Prevention, Community Policing, Community, Police, Peace, Security DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/12-22-03 Publication date: November 30 th 2022