Community-oriented Policing Research Articles

POLICE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING: ASSESSING THE IMPACT ON OFFICER BEHAVIOR AND CITIZEN COMPLAINTS IN NIGERIA

This study examines the impact of police recruitment and training practices on officer behavior and citizen complaints in Nigeria, identifying significant deficiencies that contribute to misconduct and public distrust. The research explores how inadequate recruitment standards, political interference, and insufficient training on ethics and community policing have undermined the professionalism of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Using an exploratory approach, the study analyzes literature reviews and secondary data from academic and governmental sources, comparing Nigeria’s practices with successful reforms in other African nations. Research indicates that the lack of a centralized background check system and inadequate training contribute to pervasive police misbehavior, as seen during the "End SARS" protests. Comparative analysis highlights best practices from countries like South Africa and Rwanda, where community-oriented policing and rigorous recruitment standards have improved public trust. The study concludes that reforming recruitment and training processes is crucial to promoting accountability and restoring public confidence in law enforcement. Key recommendations include establishing a centralized recruitment database, revamping training programs, and strengthening oversight mechanisms.

Community policing practice in the Nigerian police: Implications of employee burnout

The Nigerian police force's implementation of community policing has coincided with increased criminal activities, exacerbated by factors like high youth unemployment, inadequate healthcare, malnutrition, poverty, banditry, and intercommunal conflicts. Against this backdrop, this aimed at assessing how burnout affects the implementation of community policing within the Nigerian police force. It specifically aimed to explore how three dimensions of burnout—emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishment, and depersonalization—influence officers' adherence to and practice of community policing principles. By examining these factors, the study sought to provide a comprehensive understanding of how the psychological well-being of police officers impacts their ability to effectively engage in community-oriented policing strategies. Participants were 369 police personnel, which consisted of 266 males and 94 females, with a mean age of 36.6 years. The study adopted the cross-sectional research design. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Community Policing Inventory were used as measures of burnout and community policing respectively. Three hypotheses were tested with the multiple linear regression. Results revealed that emotional exhaustion did not significantly predict the practice of community policing (β = -.087, t = -1.332, p = .184), accounting for 8.7% variability in the practice of community policing. Personal accomplishment did not significantly predict the practice of community policing (β = .113, t = 1.951, p = .052), accounting for 11.3% variability in the practice of community policing. Depersonalization significantly negatively predicts the practice of community policing (β = -.275, t = -4.425, p <.001), accounting for 27.5% variability in the practice of community policing. It was recommended that future studies investigate the mediating and moderating variables that can provide a deeper understanding of the intricate relationship between burnout and community policing in the Nigerian setting.

“Video is only one little perspective”: Officer perceptions of body-worn cameras in a small community-oriented agency

This paper examines officer perceptions of body-worn cameras (BWCs) through semi-structured in-depth interviews with officers across ranks in a small community-oriented police agency. Giving voice to officers in a small agency, this study broadens prior knowledge gained from big agency studies and deepens existing understanding of officer perceptions of BWCs beyond a binary classification (either support or resistance). This approach provides a useful angle for scholars to bridge some gaps in the current literature and informs practitioners on how to improve policies for better utilization of BWCs in daily policing operations.

Community Policing Philosophy

A sociological understanding of crime can adequately respond to criminal challenges through practical engagement with society. Community policing is a proactive strategy that uses problem-solving methods and strategic partnerships to solve problems related to public safety, including crime and social disturbance. The core of this policing system is a flexible organizational structure and decentralized power, in which the officer decides how best to preserve security and order in line with local needs. Decentralized administration at both the command and decision-making levels has been used as an approach to promote the effectiveness of community policy. Consequently, police officers could independently interact with communities, identifying problems and developing feasible solutions. However, this idea has variations, particularly in the debate on how community policy can construct a social system to create better strategies against criminal acts. It is essential to analyze the sociological perspective to understand the main objective of the community-oriented policing strategy. Mainly, a theory that focuses on reducing crime and crime fear enhances the conditions of life for law enforcement personnel and members of society. Hence, this article analyses each strategy component using pertinent and specific sociological theories and criminological concepts, highlighting the significant contribution of sociologists in shaping the community policing strategy. Therefore, based on sociological perspectives, this article argues that community policy can create an inclusive social system within social actors’ collaboration. Keywords: community-oriented, crime, neighborhood, sociological perspective, partnerships

Exploring the role of salon professionals in identifying sex trafficking and violence victims in Indiana

BackgroundSex trafficking victims often have touchpoints with salons for waxing, styling, and other body modification services required by traffickers. Recently, some states have administered laws requiring salon professionals to receive intimate partner violence (IPV)-related training, with even fewer states mandating training on identifying sex trafficking. This study aimed to understand how salon professionals have witnessed evidence of violence, including IPV and sex trafficking, in the workplace and to explore the differences in their approach to each type of victim.MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with salon professionals (N = 10) and law enforcement professionals/policymakers (N = 5). Content and thematic analysis techniques were used.ResultsSalon professionals typically identified potential violence through signs such as bruises, odd behavior, and client disclosures, prompting them to engage in cautious conversations. Yet, few were trained to identify and intervene. Often, they responded to suspected violence by talking with the client, sharing concerns with salon leadership, directly intervening on the client’s behalf, or contacting the police. Law enforcement and salon professionals had suggestions about improving salon professionals’ recognition of and response to violence, including training on victim-focused resources, creating a safe environment, and building relationships with law enforcement. They also suggested strengthening community partnerships to increase resource advocacy and reporting.ConclusionsOne-on-one salon services may provide a unique opportunity to intervene and identify victims of violence, especially when empowered through additional training and collaborative partnerships with community-oriented policing initiates. Implementing training and community-based initiatives could aid salon professionals in gaining greater confidence in knowing what to do when serving a client who is a victim of IPV or sex trafficking.

Joyriding Among Young First Nations Australians: Assessing Police Trust and Confidence Through the Lens of Youth and Key Stakeholders

Young First Nations Australians typically distrust and are reluctant to cooperate with the police. This article discusses data from a pilot intervention programme regarding First Nations young people’s involvement in car theft and joyriding. We conducted seven in-depth interviews with young Australians – most of whom identified as First Nations Australians – and six key community stakeholders who helped to deliver the programme. Our findings indicate that both sample groups held negative and distrusting perceptions of the police which, for the young people, were often precipitated by perceived discriminatory and procedurally unjust encounters with the police. We argue that heavy-handed and discriminatory policing of young First Nations Australians may perpetuate youth offending and joyriding behaviours among this group. The article argues that the police should adopt more community-oriented policing approaches to build trust with young First Nations Australians.

International experience in the implementation of the service model of the police and its role in protecting the constitutional rights and legitimate interests of the individual

Relevance. The study is relevant because the global trend in public administration emphasizes respecting citizens' legitimate rights and interests. As a key law enforcement agency, the police play a crucial role in this respect. Transitioning to a service model can transform the police from a punitive body to one that serves society and provides quality services. Purpose. The study aims to investigate the experience of implementing the service model of policing in various developed countries, identify the core principles of this model, and determine its role in protecting citizens' constitutional rights and legitimate interests. Methodology. The primary method used is generalization. By examining the different ways countries have transitioned to a service model, the study identifies the main features and principles that constitute this model. Results. The study examines the concept of service policing, defining its signs and principles. It analyzes the implementation experiences in highly developed countries such as the United States, Great Britain, and Japan. The study explores specific programs and technologies used, as well as the positive and negative aspects and consequences of applying the model. It also assesses the role of this transition in protecting constitutional rights and legitimate interests. Conclusions. The study concludes that adopting a service model of policing, as evidenced by experiences in developed countries, is crucial for protecting citizens' constitutional rights and interests. Key principles include legislative and executive support, community engagement, and the use of effective programs and technologies. This model enhances public trust, law enforcement effectiveness, and fosters a cooperative relationship between the police and the community, ultimately contributing to a safer and more just society. Keywords: community-oriented police; police services; transition to a service model; law enforcement

Are We Underestimating the Crime Prevention Outcomes of Community Policing? The Importance of Crime Reporting Sensitivity Bias

One of the key policing innovations of the last three decades has been community-oriented policing. It is particularly important because it is one of the only proactive policing approaches that consistently improves citizen evaluations of the police. At the same time, a series of reviews have concluded that there is not persuasive evidence that community policing reduces crime. In this paper we argue that these conclusions are likely flawed because of what we term crime reporting sensitivity (CRS) bias. CRS bias occurs because community policing leads to more cooperation with the police and subsequently increased crime reporting. Such increased crime reporting bias adjusts crime prevention outcomes of community policing downward. We illustrate this process by reanalyzing data from the Brooklyn Park ACT Experiment (Weisburd et al., 2021). We begin by showing the specific crime categories that contribute most to CRS bias. We then use a difference-in-differences panel regression approach to assess whether the experimental intervention in Brooklyn Park led to significant CRS bias. Finally, we use bounded estimates from the Brooklyn Park Experiment to adjust meta-analytic results from prior community policing studies to examine whether the conclusion that community policing does not impact on crime would need to be revisited if CRS bias was accounted for. We find that adjusted estimates tell a very different, more positive, story about community policing, suggesting that future studies should recognize and adjust for CRS bias, or identify other measures not influenced by this mechanism.

Smart city planning focused on the US cities in need of policing innovations and public health safety technologies and strategies

The issue of firearm-related injuries, deaths and crime in the United States is of particular relevance. Every year, about 32,000 lives are lost as a result of firearm-related incidents, including self-inflicted injuries. Other 74,000 people suffer non-fatal gunshot wounds. Addressing this multi-faceted problem is possible through a comprehensive and integrated approach that encompasses public health initiatives, law enforcement efforts, and security measures. In the context of solving this problem, the concepts of “community-oriented policing”, “problem-oriented policing”, “broken windows theory”, “smart city social sustainability initiative” (multi-system improvement and meeting the needs of marginalised residents), “feedback methodology”, etc. are thoroughly considered. The author proposes the strategic deployment of mini-police stations in areas with a high crime rate as proper centres of police visibility and a deterrent to criminals. To realise this task, it is necessary to integrate the latest approaches to Smart Urban Development with innovative urban planning technologies that would increase the influence of law enforcement agencies in the process of protecting public health and safety in cities. In particular, the article proposes the following for implementation: identifying crime hotspots by means of advanced geographic information systems, applying machine learning algorithms to predict future crime trends, using advanced real-time surveillance technologies and firearms detection systems, applying geospatial analysis to optimise patrol routes, dynamically adjusting patrol routes depending on real-time data analytics, deploying mobile command centres. As a result, law enforcement agencies can effectively communicate to potential criminals that their actions will not go unnoticed. They may achieve significant success in improving the overall quality of life of residents in such areas. Also, they will create safer communities, and reduce the number of incidents involving the use of firearms.

Anti-Racism in the Criminal Justice System, A Brief Literature GAP: Review

Racism in the criminal justice system is one of the most significant challenges in the United States. The minorities, especially the blacks and Hispanics, have been punitively punished and targeted in a more aggressive approach over similar crimes committed by their white counterparts. Law enforcement's racist approach can largely be blamed for the vile racism in the criminal justice system. Rampant racial profiling is a common approach within the criminal justice system that propagates injustice against minorities. Besides, overt racism occurs through legal setups that are set to impose retrogressive rulings on the minority groups and fail to cater to such people's unique needs. The citizens play a central role in making criminal justice systems anti-racists. The citizens can forge community-oriented policing strategies to ensure the interactions between the racial minorities and the police in their neighbourhoods complies with existing professional guidelines to deter unbiased racial profiling. Another step that can be taken by the citizens is collaborating with law enforcement agencies to explore alternative strategic plans and guidelines that promote the amicable handling of minority offenders and finding viable alternatives to detention and incarceration. Racism in the criminal justice system is a complex problem, but with the adoption of pragmatic approaches and tactics, the vice can be eliminated. One of the primary steps towards achieving such a goal is acknowledging the system's racial disparities' cumulative nature. The paper proposes future studies to focus on leveraging decision points to develop more stringent anti-racism measures in the criminal justice system.

Foreign experience of legal regulation of law enforcement training and the main directions of its implementation in Ukraine regarding tactical competence

The article explores specific aspects of the foreign experience in the normative and legal regulation of law enforcement training. In particular, attention is focused on the directions for implementing aspects related to tactical competence in Ukraine. The establishment of an effective system for training, retraining, and qualification enhancement, as well as specific aspects of tactical training for personnel in security and defense forces, is one of the priority directions in the national security of leading foreign countries worldwide. The activities of law enforcement forces represent a specialized sphere. According to researchers, this type of activity involves units responsible for maintaining public order and ensuring public safety, protecting state facilities, and more. It encompasses preventive, protective, regulatory, isolation-restrictive measures, and special operations carried out during peacetime, under extraordinary circumstances, and in times of war. These activities aim to safeguard facilities, ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, its constitutional order, public safety, legality, and law and order. Community-oriented policing is a philosophy (a way of thinking) and an organizational strategy (a way of implementing the philosophy) that allows the police and the community to work together in new ways to address issues related to crime, public order violations, and safety, with the goal of improving the quality of life for every citizen belonging to a particular community. This philosophy is built on the previously established belief that people deserve the right to have a say in public order protection in exchange for their participation and support. It also rests on the viewpoint that to address community issues, the police and the community need to collaborate to explore new ways of solving community problems, rather than merely reacting to individual crimes or events.

Correction to “Community‐oriented policing (COP): An empirical study of its effectiveness on fear of crime”

Correction to “Community‐oriented policing (COP): An empirical study of its effectiveness on fear of crime”

Community-Oriented Policing: A Theoretical Exploration and its Implications for Building Safer Communities

Community-oriented policing (COP) has emerged as a paradigm shift in law enforcement, emphasizing community collaboration, trust-building, and proactive problem-solving. This concept strives to foster more collaboration and confidence between police officers and community residents, with the ultimate objective of reducing crime and enhancing public safety. This research investigates the theoretical foundations of COP through an extensive literature review, a secondary data analysis. This essay aims to present a thorough analysis of the theoretical frameworks supporting COP while shedding light on its theoretical foundation and real-world applications. The study delves into theoretical frameworks including Normative Sponsorship Theory, Critical Social Theory, Broken Windows Theory, and Social Resource Theory, highlighting their relevance to COP and the implications for building safer communities. Normative Sponsorship Theory advocates for community involvement in shaping policing norms, fostering trust, and enhancing effectiveness. Critical Social Theory offers a critical lens to analyze COP in the context of broader societal structures and inequalities, emphasizing the need for systemic transformation. The Broken Windows Theory underscores the importance of addressing visible signs of disorder to deter crime, aligning with COP’s proactive engagement with communities. Social Resource Theory underscores the role of social capital and community engagement in crime prevention and public safety. The integration of these theories into COP underscores the importance of trust, collaboration, and proactive problem-solving in law enforcement. Understanding and incorporating these theoretical underpinnings into COP practices can significantly contribute to building safer and more harmonious communities. This study enriches the discourse on COP and provides valuable insights for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and communities striving to enhance public safety and community well-being through collaborative policing strategies.

Community-Oriented Policing: Insights from New Haven and Implications for Ghana and Nigeria

Community-Oriented Policing: Insights from New Haven and Implications for Ghana and Nigeria

Compliments or complaints: an evaluation of a community oriented policing practice

PurposeThis research study evaluates an innovative community-oriented policing program, designed to enhance officer accountability, thereby informing the scholarly community and agency decision-makers.Design/methodology/approachA multi-method approach was employed, leveraging pre- and post-implementation data collection phases. Data were collected via surveys of officers and focus groups with officers, as well as interviews with agency decision-makers.FindingsWhile officers were originally resistant to the STOP Card program, postimplementation perceptions, evinced through both survey and focus group data, were supportive. Agency administrators were consistently supportive of the initiative.Originality/valueThis is a novel program, implemented by a university police agency set in an urban area. The utility of this and similar efforts may influence agency initiatives.

Front porch roll calls: an innovative approach to community-oriented policing in Saginaw, MI

PurposeThis study aims to evaluate a promising community-oriented policing strategy called “front porch roll call” (FPRC), which involves conducting roll calls in public forums.Design/methodology/approachA mixed methods approach was used by drawing on survey data, field observations and qualitative interviews to describe how FPRCs were implemented in Saginaw, MI from 2019 to 2022, and how they can be successfully implemented to operate in accordance with the theoretical foundations of community-oriented policing.FindingsSurvey data from FPRC attendees reported improvements in their perceptions of police legitimacy, trust in the police and procedural fairness—each of which are vital pathways to developing collaborative crime prevention initiatives in community-oriented policing. Qualitative interviews and field observations provided unique insights into areas of improvement and ways to enhance sustainability for future use.Originality/valueCommunity-oriented policing offers a philosophical approach to addressing crime problems through the formation of localized, collaborative solutions that come from police-community partnerships. A key implementation challenge is that such programs can fail to align their initiatives with the theoretical principles of community policing. FPRCs offer an innovative solution that operates closely with the spirit of community-oriented policing. Data from a mixed-methods evaluation provide further insights into their challenges with implementation and ways to improve upon them.

Security beyond the state: exploring potential development impacts of community policing reform in post-conflict and fragile environment

ABSTRACT This study investigates the significance of understanding police perspectives on community policing as a means of addressing insecurity, particularly within the context of localised and asymmetrical conflicts. It highlights the pivotal role of the police in shaping community security and the substantial impact they can have (positive or negative) in fragile environments. The study contends that the localised nature of the community policing effectively addresses security and development issues and empowering citizens. Qualitative interviews were conducted with senior police in Islamabad, to assess the implementation and potential impacts of community policing in Pakistan’s Federal Capital Territory. The findings reveal how the historical foundations of police structures and operations – which date back to the colonial period – have led to the promotion of fear, mistrust and manipulation under successive regimes. Despite these challenges, the findings are promising highlighting enhanced human security through context-specific community policing. Finally, the paper argues that the movement towards community-oriented policing marks a departure from the control of elites within state systems, and encourages values such as local ownership, social cohesion, mutual engagement, accountability and agency. These developments have profound implications for global security and justice.

Fear of crime and the willingness to report crime to police: A case study of model policing in Meta-Mercado, Coatepeque, Guatemala

ABSTRACT Community-oriented policing has been a mainstay of policing over the past quarter century. In March 2019, the municipality of Coatepeque in Guatemala, with the assistance of Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International, implemented a new community policing plan called Vivir y Prosperar in the Meta Mercado. Vivir y Prosperar was designed to improve security, reduce crime, and promote economic prosperity. This study utilises the pre-test, baseline and 6-months post-test, endline survey data of market vendors in the Meta Mercado to assess whether Vivir y Prosperar reduced fear of crime and increased someone’s willingness to report crime to police as tenets of community policing would anticipate. Results show that Vivir and Prosperar did not directly contribute to a decrease in fear of crime or improve one’s willingness to report crimes to the police. However, improving personal victimisation experiences, bribery payments, and other factors may indirectly promote a reduction in fear of crime and increase the willingness to report a crime among market vendors.

“It's frustrating … I didn’t join to sit behind a desk”: Police paperwork as a source of organizational stress

Police officers are responsible for both proactive and reactive policing; however, every call for service, at a minimum, equates to an administrative process that is time-consuming and appears to distract from the ability of police officers to do their investigative and community-oriented police work. In this article, we explore the administrative processes that are paperwork as a source of organizational stress. Specifically, we draw on researcher observational field notes, focus groups, as well as interview data discussing the paperwork processes as a part of and contributing to the organizational and operational stressors experienced by, and the psychological burden and its effects on, police officers in a provincial policing agency in Canada. Results indicate not only the sheer volume of paperwork that police are responsible for, but also the extended time being spent “catching up” administratively and the psychological implications of such processes on their well-being, including, for example, decreased morale, frustration, and feeling overwhelmed.

Community‐oriented policing (COP): An empirical study of its effectiveness on fear of crime

AbstractBackgroundCommunity‐oriented policing (COP) has been a central tenet in policing for the past three decades. Accordingly, studies have examined its effectiveness in reducing citizen's fear of crime, one of the legitimate objectives of COP. However, the results of studies are somewhat unclear about the effectiveness.Objectiveshis study attempts to disclose how COP program affects citizens' fear of crime using two waves of survey data collected from citizen participants of the COP program in Houston, Texas.MethodsStructural equation modeling is employed for analysis in this study.ResultsThe findings of this study reveal that COP contributed to reducing fear of crime. In particular, the crime prevention‐related information learned at the COP program increased the participants' sense of collective efficacy, which shows a positive impact on reducing fear of crime.ConclusionsThis study suggest that providing crime prevention information at COP program is important to strengthen volunteer's informal social control, which contribute to reducing their fear of crime.