Citizen participation in community safety: a comparative study of community policing in South Korea and the UK

Abstract

The comparative analysis of community policing in South Korea and the UK provides the basis for evaluating the strengths of the current theorising on this subject. The study revealed that participation in community policing was not a spur-of-the-moment emotional decision but was carefully considered and planned before it was undertaken. The study revealed that the British participants were attracted to community policing by individual factors – that is, factors that primarily benefitted them as individuals – while community crime prevention was only a secondary concern. By contrast, for the South Korean cohort, participation in community policing was an extension of their commitment to their community. The research findings highlighted two different models of community policing: one underpinned by a commitment to the community and a desire to enhance crime prevention and community safety, and a second model underpinned by personal gain, in which community policing is valued as a stepping stone to formal policing. These two models emerge from the fact that community police work is a full-time paid job in the UK, whereas it is a purely voluntary activity in South Korea. The research findings significantly contribute to ‘citizen participation in community policing’ by informing our understanding of why individuals choose to participate in these activities. Additionally, the comparative study helps to raise questions regarding current theorising on community policing, particularly when examined in a cross-cultural context.