Abstract
A reform is underway in Kenya, aimed at transforming the police organization into a people- centred police service. Among other things, this involves enhancing police-public trust and partnerships through community policing (COP). Two state-initiated COP models have been implemented: the National Police Service’s Community Policing Structure, and the Nyumba Kumi model of the President’s Office. On paper, police reform and the two COP models would appear to have the potential to improve police-public cooperation. In practice, however, implementation has proven difficult. Interviews and meetings with local community organizations, community representatives and police officers in urban and rural parts of Kenya indicate that scepticism towards the two COP models is common, as is refusal to engage in them. But why is this so? Why are these two COP models unsuccessful in enhancing police-public trust and cooperation? This article analyses how various contextual factors—such as conflicting socio-economic and political interests at the community and national levels, institutional challenges within the police, the overall role and mandate of the police in Kenya, and a top-down approach to COP—impede the intended police paradigm shift.
Highlights
Introduction and Context in manyAfrican police systems today, as the nature and purpose of policing have remained the same ([7], p. 69).The police are highly dependent on collaboration and in- The Kenyan police system was established by and for the formation from citizens in order to provide and maintain British colonialists, mainly to protect colonial interests [4,8].security within a state
Interviews and meetings with local community organizations, community representatives and police officers in urban and rural parts of Kenya indicate that scepticism towards the two community policing (COP) models is common, as is refusal to engage in them
As long policies and guidelines for implementation, as well as the as tribal politics lack of oversight and accountability mechanism, civilians and the police are two sides of the same coin, transforming and police COP members have in some cases misused the the Kenyan police into a legitimate, democratic and people- two structures for personal gain and/or to accumulate and centred police service seems unlikely
Summary
The aim is for local residents to get to know each other not been properly grounded locally. As long policies and guidelines for implementation, as well as the as tribal politics (including the president’s personal power) lack of oversight and accountability mechanism, civilians and the police are two sides of the same coin, transforming and police COP members have in some cases misused the the Kenyan police into a legitimate, democratic and people- two structures for personal gain and/or to accumulate and centred police service seems unlikely. Policing cannot be separated from its political context, and Secondly, police-public trust and implementation of the in order to promote and establish a community-oriented COP models have been impeded by in-house problems approach to policing that is in line with good governance, within the police system, such as lack of human and ecoa transformative context of democratization is necessary nomic resources, poor working conditions, training, manage-. For the police in Kenya to become the ‘people’s police’, the road is long and bumpy, with many hazards and detours ahead
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