Community Policing Activities Research Articles

Community Policing and Criminal Activities in Low Income Areas: Case Study of Sanya, Japan

Community Policing and Criminal Activities in Low Income Areas: Case Study of Sanya, Japan

The Supply and Demand Shifts in Policing at the Start of the Pandemic: A National Multi-Wave Survey of the Impacts of COVID-19 on American Law Enforcement

We report the results of the only multi-wave survey of a large and geographically diverse sample of police agencies across the United States to understand the immediate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on law enforcement. Findings indicate an unprecedented and sustained shift in both the supply of and demand for police services during that time. While overall calls for service (demand) tended to decline in most agencies, some experienced increases in specific categories of calls. During the early months of COVID, agencies also reduced their in-person response to calls for service, arrests, proactive policing, and community policing activities (supply). These findings indicate a substantial change in the public safety landscape during that time, which was experienced by agencies of all sizes and from all types of jurisdictions. We explore how public health pandemics can lead to substantial, immediate, and potentially sustained changes to police deployment and police-community interactions that may impact public safety goals.

Community Policing in Malawi: Citizen Involvement, Satisfaction and Challenges

Abstract The concept of community policing was adopted by the Malawi government as a vehicle to facilitate police and the public engagement in fighting crimes. Considering that community policing has existed for over a decade in Malawi, this study was carried out to holistically uncover challenges associated with public involvement in community policing activities with the purpose to provide empirically backed strategies for the efficient implementation of the concept. The study employed a case study approach. Purposive sampling was used on one hand to select the research site – Central Regions of Malawi and to select the police officers working as Community Policing Coordinators and members of the communities working in Community Police Forums. Quota sampling was used to select police officers and members of the community from each district. Finally, convenient sampling was used to select police officers and members within the quotas of each district. Focus group discussions were conducted with 16 Community Police Forums; interviews were conducted with 16 Community Policing Coordinators; a questionnaire was used to collect data from 144 community members and 200 police officers. Results show that the community members are not satisfied with police officers in the way they implement the community policing because the police do not offer the public enough protection from criminals and that the police mostly treat the community badly. The community members were involved in the implementation of the community policing mainly because of worsening crimes in the community, personal fear of the crimes, need to be recognised by the police and the desire to benefit from the rewards from Non-Governmental Organisations in form of food. The factors that challenged the implementation of community policing include lack of knowledge on community policing on the part of police officers; lack of recognition of community policing; corrupt practices; lack of confidentiality; poor working relationship; and lack of resources. The concept of community policing continues to receive unprecedented attention in police reforms. Much as there is evidence of growing literature on this concept, little is known in Malawi where this study was conducted. In light of this, the study provides valuable literature which might be necessary for global academics and particularly in community policing in Malawi with practical implications on re-designing and continued implementation of community policing in Malawi and perhaps other developing countries.

YUI Miharu, Studies on Riot Prevention Policy in Contemporary India: Challenges in Community Policing Activities

YUI Miharu, <i>Studies on Riot Prevention Policy in Contemporary India: Challenges in Community Policing Activities</i>

Policing and collective efficacy: A rapid evidence assessment

Collective efficacy is a neighbourhood social process that has important benefits for crime prevention. Policing is thought to be one antecedent to collective efficacy, but the mechanisms by which police activity and officer behaviour are thought to foster collective efficacy are not well understood. This article presents findings from a rapid evidence assessment conducted to take stock of the empirical research on policing and collective efficacy. Thirty-nine studies were identified and examined. Overall, trust in police was the aspect of policing most consistently associated with collective efficacy. There was also some evidence that community policing activities, such as visibility and community engagement, predicted collective efficacy. Police legitimacy, on the other hand, was relatively unrelated to collective efficacy: a finding which suggests perceptions of police linked to the ‘action’ of individual officers may be more enabling of collective efficacy than perceptions of the policing institution as a whole. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.

The Roles of Community Policing for Community Security and Peace Building: The Case of Asella Town Administration

Community policing is the most means of reacting to incidents and insecurity before it happens and improving social environment as well as reducing fear of crime. Despite its vital roles in maintaining peace and security for the local community, there is no adequate literature on the roles of community policing for community security and peace building. This implies that there is little known about the roles of community policing in Asella Town administration and as a result this study aimed to assess the roles of community policing for community security and peace building in Asella Town Administration. To conduct this research qualitative research approach was used. For this purpose, data collected through different data collection mechanism including key informants, focus group discussion and participant observation. were analyzed through thematic data analysis approach. The findings of this research indicate that, community policing brings the police officers and the community of Asella town together to deter crime and promote community security. It also increased the perceptions of safety and reduced anti-social behavior. It also empowered the community of the town to take charge of their security needs. It also increased the satisfaction of police officers towards their work in community. The collective security action of community policing in the Asella town involved various community members such as elders, youth and religious organization. Community policing needs to be practiced in a systematic way to demonstrate better results in maintaining peace and security issues. Community meetings on community policing must be take place regularly in order to involve more community members in community policing activities. Keywords : Community Policing, Community Security and Stability, Asella Town DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/10-10-06 Publication date: October 31 st 2020

UPP Estadual e UPP Federal: um estudo sobre duas formas de ocupação policial no Rio de Janeiro

O chamado do governo do estado do Rio de Janeiro para a Força Nacional de Segurança Pública (FNSP) apoiá-lo em uma "Operação Pacificadora" em 2012 se insere na lógica de uma política de pacificação das favelas cariocas que tem em seu discurso muita similaridade com o modelo das Forças de Paz da ONU. A referência que gestores públicos passaram a fazer com relação à missão da FNSP na favela do Santo Amaro de "UPP Federal" identificava essa intervenção com a estratégia das Unidades de Polícia Pacificadora (UPPs). Importante reduto de venda de crack na Zona Sul carioca, o Santo Amaro passa a ser ocupado por 150 agentes da FNSP a partir de 18 de maio de 2012, como parte do convênio de cooperação para implementação do programa “Crack, é possível vencer” com o Governo Federal. Já a UPP Santa Marta, foi implantada em 19 de dezembro de 2008, sendo a primeira unidade planejada do programa das UPPs criadas por decretos em janeiro de 2009. Este trabalho tem como objetivo realizar uma comparação das formas de atuação policial e da relação com os moradores das ocupações policiais empreendidas pela Força Nacional no Santo Amaro e pela UPP no Santa Marta. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada entre 2014 e 2016, incluindo entrevistas com policiais e moradores, grupos focais e observação de campo, inclusive em reuniões comunitárias. Um dos resultados desta comparação indica que, em ambas as experiências, os espaços de diálogo com os moradores das favelas ocupadas são bastante reduzidos. Na UPP Santa Marta o único espaço de diálogo são os Cafés Comunitários que ocorrem mensalmente com baixo quórum, enquanto no Santo Amaro não há espaços de diálogo, sendo reproduzida uma lógica pouco participativa de atuação policial.

Campus law enforcement: the relationship between emergency preparedness and community policing

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between emergency preparedness and community policing within campus law enforcement agencies, as well as agency and campus characteristics that impact the level of emergency preparedness activities.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from the 2011–2012 Survey of Campus Law Enforcement Agencies, this study employs ordinary least squares regression modeling to examine emergency preparedness and community policing relationships within 298 campus law enforcement agencies.FindingsCommunity policing is the greatest predictor of emergency preparedness in campus law enforcement agencies. This finding refutes arguments that emergency preparedness and community policing are incompatible policing innovations.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited by the use of secondary data. Future research should utilize survey measures to better isolate the roles and functions of community policing and emergency preparedness.Practical implicationsThe findings have implications for campus law enforcement agencies to view emergency preparedness and community policing activities as interrelated. Specifically, agency administration can benefit by taking a holistic approach to campus policing and preparedness.Originality/valueThis paper extends the current research in municipal policing to the campus police environment. This paper also adds to the limited body of literature on the relationships between community policing and emergency preparedness.

FUZZY CLUSTERING MEANS (FCM) DALAM PENENTUAN LOKASI PENERTIBAN PENYAKIT MASYARAKAT PADA KEGIATAN PEMBINAAN SOSIAL SATPOL-PP WILAYAH SUMATRA-BARAT

Based on the data summary disease community policing activities by municipal police pp city of West Sumatra in January 2010 to December 2014, there were as many as 1660 cases of approximately 20 locations enforcement. Each location policing there are various types of activities are classified as a disease of society. Based on data obtained are activities that have curbed such as street vendors, illegal buildings, street children, street, commercial sex workers (CSWs) and others. Number of activities at each point different locations each year, thus requiring data clustering method to facilitate the investigation team in determining the behavior patterns of disease activity as a description of the location community policing a priority next year. The method used in this data clustering method is to use Fuzzy Clustering Means (FCM)

The iron fist in the velvet glove? Testing the militarization/community policing paradox

A number of police militarization scholars have explored the paradox of the simultaneous emergence of community policing and militarism in the United States. Several researchers have suggested that police militarization and community policing may be cohesive strategies of state control, with community policing being the “velvet glove” that wraps the “iron fist” of militarization in palatable rhetoric. Alternatively, it has been suggested that these two policing strategies are incoherent, having emerged as a result of the state’s disorganized attempts to maintain control in the face of significant societal changes. To date, little research has examined the link between community policing and police militarization specifically. This study uses community policing data from the 2013 LEMAS survey to examine variation in military equipment acquisition data from the Department of Defense’s 1033 Program between the years 2012 and 2014. Results show that departments engaging in certain community policing activities are significantly less likely to acquire general military equipment, firearms, and military vehicles. These findings suggest that these policing strategies are not necessarily coherent and potentially support the argument that community policing efforts can buffer militarization. However, these results also highlight the need for more empirical research on existing theories of militarization, as well as the causes and effects of police militarism and community policing activities.

Community Policing: Practice, Roles, Challenges and Prospects in Crime Prevention in East Gojjam Administrative Zone

Community policing is a paradigm shift established at the bedrock of community partnership in creating safe and secure environment for all. It is policing whereby the people take active part in their own affairs; the police are not seen as a problem or stranger whose presence stands for danger but as partners in development and those members of the community are co-producers of justice and quality police service. This fact indicates the need of involving the community, the local government and the police to work together to tackle crime. One rationale for public involvement is the belief that police alone can neither create nor maintain safe communities. Despite the establishment of community policing and numerous efforts by various police administrations to curtail the level of crime in Ethiopia, crime and social disorder still persist in the country. With growing urbanization and national development, there are signs of complexity and multiplicity of criminal offenses and acts. The general objective of the study is to assess the contributions, challenges and prospects of community policing in crime prevention in selected sites of East Gojjam zone, North West Ethiopia. Mixed research method which combines both qualitative and quantitative methods was employed in this study. Quantitatively, the study generally assesses the role, predicament and prospects of community policing. Qualitatively, it probes deep and investigates the views and opinions of both the members of the society and police officers on the program as a whole, its level of implementation and satisfaction it has brought and the level of program ownership among police officers and the community at large. A society less concern and inactive participation is the major challenge of community policing. Limited human resource for coordinating community policing activities, de motivated police officers, less attention given from government to the programme and turnover of police officers is also another challenge for community policing.

Assessing police–community relationships: is there a gap in perceptions between police officers and residents?

ABSTRACTThe notion that community residents are key players responsible for the well-being of the larger society has become a cornerstone of approaches to modern policing in democratic societies. That is, residents partner with police to help maintain social order. An essential element of successful implementation of any programme is communication and understanding between various parties in the partnership. In this paper, we examine whether there is congruence between police officers and residents in how they perceive their relationships on various dimensions of police–community relations. These dimensions include residents’ respect for police and their willingness to cooperate in various community-policing activities. Using survey data collected in 2011 from a larger project with a national sample of 581 Slovenian police officers and 959 residents, we analyse both groups’ perceptions of community support of and willingness to partner with police officers. Results show that, on the one hand, residents appeared to have respect and confidence in police and were willing to cooperate with police officers in various crime prevention and community-policing activities. On the other hand, we find police officers’ perceptions of residents’ willingness to cooperate with the police ranked lower than residents’ reflections on these matters. On many of the dimensions of police–community partnerships, residents appeared more willing to cooperate and support the police compared to what officers perceived of residents’ willingness. This research identifies a gap in perceptions of citizen support of the police between Slovenian residents and police officers, which has to be bridged to make community policing more effective.

Examining the Effects of Agency Accreditation on Police Officer Behavior

The policy of accreditation of criminal justice organizations has grown over the last four decades. Some advocates for accreditation claim that it facilitates organizational change at all levels of the organization. To date, however, little empirical research has examined these claims, especially within criminal justice agencies. While accreditation leads agencies to adopt formal policies, the previous literature on street-level bureaucrat behavior would suggest rank-and-file employees are unlikely to follow these formal policies as intended. The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) is the accrediting body for law enforcement agencies in North America, and part of the formal policies CALEA accreditation requires regard engagement in community oriented policing. The present study examined whether officers on CALEA accredited agencies differed from officers with agencies not seeking accreditation, with regard to their engagement in community policing activities. The findings revealed that agency accreditation was not associated with the degree to which officers engaged in community oriented policing activities.

The role of the law enforcement agencies in transport security, a survey with Swedish operators

Transport security, that is, the protection against antagonistic attacks in form of terrorism, theft, counterfeiting, piracy etc. has become a major concern for managers during the last years. The consequences of security incidents include economic losses for industries, but in case of terror attacks may also affect society in general. If transport networks are not adequately protected, consumable products (e.g. food, pharmaceuticals) could be counterfeited or contaminated and smuggled into a country, giving rise to death or diseases. Today, to enhance the protection of transport networks, companies have wide access to handbooks, advanced security technologies or certification programs (e.g. TAPA EMEA, ISO28001, C-TPAT or AEO, etc.). Despite this, statistics indicate that transport networks are low-risk/high-revenue targets, and therefore security needs to be enhanced. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role played by the law enforcement agencies in transport security. More specifically, this paper strives to demonstrate the influence of the allocation of law enforcement agencies’ resources on criminal justice efforts as well as on community policing activities to deter crime. Using Structural Equation Modelling techniques, two hypotheses are empirically tested on a sample of 577 Swedish transport operators. The results unveil that both the relationships are statistically significant. Finally, implications for managers and practitioners are discussed.

Community policing and fear of crime in Seoul: a test of competing models

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the complex constellation of underlying factors between community policing and fear of crime by embracing various exogenous variables identified through accumulated empirical research. Another important purpose of the current study is to examine the association between community policing and fear of crime in the Korean context.Design/methodology/approachThe data originated from a survey administrated by the Korean Institution of Criminology in the area of Seoul, South Korea, in an attempt to examine citizens’ fear of crime, perceptions of public safety and environment. Using a stratified sampling method, a total of 654 respondents were selected. Structural equation modeling was used to examine direct and indirect relationships among exogenous and endogenous variables and to test the authors’ hypothesized structural model of the citizen's fear of crime.FindingsThe current study found that the four proposed models between community policing and fear of crime were not supported in the Korean context. Neither direct nor indirect relationships between community policing and fear of crime were statistically significant. On the other hand, community policing was found to be significantly and indirectly associated with perceived risk of crime; those who more perceived community policing activities felt a greater risk of crime. A logical explanation for these findings requires understanding of the characteristics of community policing practice and the unique crime environment in South Korea.Originality/valueThis study shows unique characteristics in the community policing‐fear of crime nexus in Korean society in relation to the implementation of community policing, the level of fear of crime and perception of community‐based crime control.

Expectations of change: the congruency between Beat Officers and Supervisors and its impact on programmatic change

While much effort has been put forth to understand the ongoing transformation of police agencies (e.g., toward community policing, implementation of innovative practices), few researchers have looked at those mechanisms involved in the change. Drawing upon data collected from an innovative agency, this study assesses the changes in expectations held by Beat Officers and Sergeants after a year in a newly‐implemented geographical beat system. Our findings suggest that congruency is more dynamic than previous studies have shown and that a geographical patrol strategy can increase officer’s community policing activities.

Policing After 9/11: Community Policing in an Age of Homeland Security

This article examines the relevance of community oriented policing (COP) in an age of increased prioritization of homeland security planning among U.S. police departments. The current study utilizes 2003 multi-wave survey data drawn from a random sample of 281 municipal police departments serving populations of 25,000+ in 47 states. Ordered logistic regression revealed police departments that give higher prioritization to homeland security planning (e.g. hazard mitigation) are associated with less officers devoted solely to community policing and smaller or static departmental budgets. Homeland security planning was also positively associated with community policing programs and activities. Research and policy implications are discussed.

Police and the Prevention of Terrorism

It is becoming clear that the police have an important role in preventing terrorism. They are in a good position to learn about and investigate local terrorist threats, and they can work to ensure that vulnerable targets in their jurisdictions are protected. Filling the first of these functions, investigation of terrorists, will require police to extend their normal community policing activities and improve their handling of information. Filling the second function, protecting vulnerable targets, will require greater adjustments. They will need to become more expert in crime prevention and security matters, and they will have to develop partnerships with businesses and a wide range of public and private agencies. However, these changes are consistent with current best practices in policing.

Effects of community policing upon fear of crime

PurposeTo identify intervening factors between perceptions of community policing and reduction of crime fear among citizen, which can provide a better understanding of the causal linkage between these two variables.Design/methodology/approachThe present study employs the research data from the 1998 study “Criminal Victimization and Perception of Community Safety in 12 United States Cities,” which was conducted as a supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). This study used only the personal data, which included information on respondents' demographic characteristics, personal crime and victimization experiences, perceptions of neighborhood crime, and experience and satisfaction with local police.FindingsThe finding reveals that while vulnerability variables (indirect victimization model) do not affect the relationship between community policing and fear of crime, the perception of incivilities (perceived disorder model) and the dissatisfaction with life‐quality (community concern model) in the neighborhood intervene between community policing and fear of crime.Originality/valueDespite the abundant research in the area of community policing, less attention has been paid to the causal process between community policing activities and its presumed effect, reduction of crime fear in communities. This study helps us to understand how fear of crime is reduced by the implementation of community policing.

MANAGING CITIZEN CALLS TO THE POLICE: THE IMPACT OF BALTIMORE'S 3‐1‐1 CALL SYSTEM*

Research Summary: Our paper explores the impact of implementing a nonemergency 3‐1‐1 call system in Baltimore, Maryland. We found a large (34.2%) reduction in 9‐1‐1 calls following the introduction of the 3‐1‐1 nonemergency call system. Many, but not all, of these calls simply migrated over to the 3‐1‐1 call system. Overall, we identified a 7.7% reduction in recorded citizen calls to the police post 3‐1‐1 intervention. This recorded reduction in citizen calls was confounded by an increase in high priority calls to the 9‐1‐1 system (27.5%), a large overall reduction in low priority calls (54.3%), and an estimated increase (perhaps 8%) in unrecorded calls to the police. We also note a small increase in response times to high priority 9‐1‐1 calls following the implementation of the 3‐1‐1 call system and virtually no change in the amount of officer time available for community policing or problem‐oriented policing activities.Policy Implications: Our findings suggest that nonemergency call systems, such as 3‐1‐1, can greatly facilitate police efforts to better handle citizen calls for police service. However, the intrinsic value of nonemergency call systems is tightly woven with a police department's willingness to change dispatch policies (especially for those calls received via the 3‐1‐1 system), reallocate patrol resources, and adopt organizational reforms to support alternative methods (apart from dispatch) for handling nonemergency calls for service.