Public trust in the police: Investigating the influence of police performance, procedural fairness, and police-community relations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

In Western countries, there is conclusive research on public trust in the police and the factors that affect it; however, the situation in developing countries like Ethiopia is largely unknown and unexplored. The current study utilized cross-sectional data from representative 616 households from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study results found lower trust in the local police, less effective in reducing crime, and residents’ unfavorable perceptions of police procedural fairness, accompanied by poor relationships with the community. Moreover, perceptions of police effectiveness, procedural justice, and police-community relations were significant predictors of citizens’ trust in the police. The results of the study provide evidence for the applicability of the underlying assumptions of the performance model, procedural justice and community policing in the context of Ethiopia. As a result, to enhance trust in the police and improve relations with citizens, police should effectively control crime and communicate it, exert authority procedurally, exercise fair and respectful policing, and undertake activities that positively strengthen their relationship with the community. This study has theoretical and practical implications and provides insights for enhancing public trust in the police.