COMMUNITY POLICING AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING CRIME IN ZAMFARA STATE

 COMMUNITY POLICING AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN REDUCING CRIME IN ZAMFARA STATE

ABSTRACT

This study sought to assess community policing and its effectiveness in reducing crime in Zamfara State. Specifically the study intended to identify the community policing strategies used by the Police force to reduce crime, assessing the Impact of Community Policing in reducing Crime, identifying challenges facing  Police Force in administering the Community Policing and evaluating the  effectiveness of community policing on crime reduction. A case study research design was employed in which Zamfara State was taken as a case study. A total of 50 respondents were selected. The study used interview and questionnaires as  data collecting tools. This study found that the main strategies used by police force to reduce crime  includes; foot patrol, collaboration and community meetings, door-to-door visits and  public education programs. Community policing has no impact on reducing crimes as employed strategies such as Door-to-Door Visits, foot patrol, Community meetings and public education programs have no effects in addressing the crime.  Lack of training for officers on community engagement philosophy and methods,  lack of good quality information about crime provided to communities, lack  involvement in the initiative's design, implementation, and monitoring and expanded  decision making by line officers, lack understanding co-operation, poorly planned  engagement leads to unrealistic community expectations, lack of organizational  commitment and culture change, community engagement, flexibility and tailoring at  neighborhood level are the main challenges that are faced by Police Force in  administering the Community Policing. Finally the researcher recommends community engagement to be part of core work.  Communities must participate in planning and choosing approaches as well as becoming equal owners of the process. Both the Police Force and communities need  to have clearly defined roles and be given the skills and resources to carry it out. Partnerships to involve two-way dialogue and good quality information and feedback;  the police must value community input there is a need to adequate resources allocation  by the government for training and capacity building.This study sought to assess community policing and its effectiveness in reducing crime in Zamfara State. Specifically the study intended to identify the community policing strategies used by the Police force to reduce crime, assessing the Impact of Community Policing in reducing Crime, identifying challenges facing  Police Force in administering the Community Policing and evaluating the  effectiveness of community policing on crime reduction. A case study research design was employed in which Zamfara State was taken as a case study. A total of 50 respondents were selected. The study used interview and questionnaires as  data collecting tools. This study found that the main strategies used by police force to reduce crime  includes; foot patrol, collaboration and community meetings, door-to-door visits and  public education programs. Community policing has no impact on reducing crimes as employed strategies such as Door-to-Door Visits, foot patrol, Community meetings and public education programs have no effects in addressing the crime.  Lack of training for officers on community engagement philosophy and methods,  lack of good quality information about crime provided to communities, lack  involvement in the initiative's design, implementation, and monitoring and expanded  decision making by line officers, lack understanding co-operation, poorly planned  engagement leads to unrealistic community expectations, lack of organizational  commitment and culture change, community engagement, flexibility and tailoring at  neighborhood level are the main challenges that are faced by Police Force in  administering the Community Policing. Finally the researcher recommends community engagement to be part of core work.  Communities must participate in planning and choosing approaches as well as becoming equal owners of the process. Both the Police Force and communities need  to have clearly defined roles and be given the skills and resources to carry it out. Partnerships to involve two-way dialogue and good quality information and feedback;  the police must value community input there is a need to adequate resources allocation  by the government for training and capacity building.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background Of The Study

Community policing aims to reduce crime and disorder, enhance the quality of life, and improve police-community relations through community engagement, problem-solving, and organizational transformation (Community Policing Consortium, 1994). It involves collaboration between the police and the public, emphasizing shared responsibility for public safety. By consulting communities, adapting operations to local conditions, mobilizing resources, and fostering problem-solving strategies, community policing promotes a proactive approach to law enforcement (Bayley, 1994; Goldstein, 1990). This philosophy has been widely adopted in developing countries, including Tanzania, where the police force has implemented strategies such as community police officers and neighborhood watch programs to enhance security (Southern Africa Extension Unit and Community Policing Section, 2006; Tibaigana, 2006).

The success of community policing depends on cooperation among multiple stakeholders, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, community groups, and individuals (P.G.O. No. 1 Para 9). Effective policing requires collaboration without compromising professional performance. Crime remains a significant barrier to development, as poorly planned development contributes to criminal activities, threatening security, democracy, governance, and human rights (UN Office of Drugs & Crime, 2005). The United Nations recognizes that addressing crime is essential for sustainable development, emphasizing the importance of community-centered security strategies to mitigate crime and social disorder.

Security encompasses both short-term and long-term strategies to protect citizens and maintain social order (Thom-Otuya, 2017). The state's primary responsibility is to ensure security through various agencies, including the police, military, and other law enforcement bodies (Nwaubani, Okechukwu, Anyikwa, & Dominic, 2014). Within a civil environment, the police play a crucial role in maintaining law and order, and their effectiveness depends on collaboration with the public. The Nigerian Constitution mandates the police to protect lives and property, highlighting the importance of a community-oriented approach to security (Nweke, 2011; Njoku, 2012). Without active public cooperation, law enforcement efforts may be limited, making community engagement essential for crime detection and prevention.

Community policing in Zamfara State emphasizes values such as integrity, professionalism, accountability, and partnership to improve service delivery (Zamfara State Police Force, 2017). These principles align with South Africa's core elements of community policing, which focus on service orientation, partnership, problem-solving, empowerment, and accountability (Republic of South Africa, 2013). The shift from a state-centered security approach to a community-driven model underscores the need for joint responsibility in crime prevention. This study assesses the effectiveness of community policing in reducing crime in Zamfara State, exploring its impact on public safety and the overall security framework (Njoku, 2012).

1.2       Statement of the problem

Community policing remains an important program as it emphasizes proactive problem solving to prevent and otherwise control crime (Sparrow, Moore and Kennedy 1990). The goals of community policing are to reduce crime and disorder, promote citizens‟ quality of life in communities, reduce fear of crime and improve police citizen relations. Despite the introduction of Community Policing in Zamfara State, crime and the cases of crime are fast becoming a serious problem to governments; as such there were debates on its effectiveness on crime reduction as there have been several cases of such throughout the nation as well as in Kaduna state in particular. The high rate of crime in Zamfara State are of great  concern, highlighted profiles on major crime trends and magnitudes experienced by residents include kidnapping, Banditry, Cattle rustling, assaults, violence against women, and youths etc. Coupled with this, there is no much studies documented on effectiveness of community policing on crime prevention in Zamfara State. Hence the purpose of this study is to assess community policing and its effectiveness in crime reduction in Zamfara State.

1.3       Objectives of the study

The main objective of the study was to assess community policing and its effectiveness in crime reduction in Zamfara State.

Specifically this study intended;

         i.            To identify the community policing strategies used by Police force to reduce crime 

       ii.            To assess the impact of Community Policing in reducing Crime 

     iii.            To identify challenges encountered by the Police Force in administering the  Community Policing 

1.4       Research questions

The specific questions included;

                                i.                   What community policing strategies are used by the Police force to reduce crime?

                              ii.                   What impact does community policing have in reducing Crime?

                            iii.                   What challenges are encountered by the police force in administering the  community policing?

 

 

1.5       Significance of the study

This study will contribute to understanding of challenges and effective strategies that can foster for the reduction of crime in the Zamfara State community. This is particular for the Police Force in Zamfara State which is fully responsible for crime reduction and elimination. The study is also of great importance to researchers in areas of community policing, crimes and crime prevention as it lays down the foundation by providing adequate literature and findings on the areas. 

The study findings are great value to policy makers in Zamfara State as they can help in guiding  formulation of policies and strategies to facilitate the crime reduction. Policy makers are always interested in quantifying program outcomes and thus such impact study will help future program design of police force in improving the provision of services to citizens.

The community is the major beneficiary of crime prevention initiatives. These findings  will contribute to keeping citizens well informed, involving them in ongoing planning and  implementation, soliciting their input and suggestions, and encouraging feedback in all  areas of implementation.   Finally the whole work is a dissertation that contributes to completion of a masters degree.  The study promotes the researcher to pegging of the new body of knowledge to the  existing one as well as enabling the researcher in partial fulfillment for the requirements  for award of master in public administration.

1.6       Scope and Delimitation of the study

The study process encountered several limitations. One major limitation centers on  participation of respondents. Policing issues are sensitive hence some community members were reluctant in provision of information by fearing that they may have been caught by police force. The second major limitation related to distribution and collection of questionnaires. This consumed a lot of time than planed due to reluctance by the respondents to fill them and return them. Thirdly financial limitations particularly for following up the respondents posed a significant snag. However due to the importance of the study and the commitment laid down by the researcher for achieving this result all available means were used to get data, analyze and report them in this dissertation.

Delimitation of the study

Community policing is a broad and multifaceted concept. The researcher therefore concentrated in particular on the effect of community policing on crime prevention in Zamfara State. It also examined the community role and initiative in community policing. The concept of crime prevention, it strategies, its challenges and its significance also formed  part of the scope of this study.

1.7       Definition of Key Terms

Crime prevention: Crime prevention is central to the concept and ultimate goal of community policing  (Skolnick and Bayley, 2018) and will have long term benefits (Segrave and Ratcliffe,  2014).

Community: It is refers to a physical concentration of individuals in one locality, and/or social organization among a concentration of individuals that possess a particular quality of relationships (Warbuton 2018). 

Community policing: The Community Policing Consortium defines community policing as “a collaborative  effort between the police and the community that identifies problems of crime and disorder and involves all elements of the community in the search for solutions to these  problems.”

THE POLICE AND CRIME CONTROL IN ABUJA METROPOLIS

THE POLICE AND CRIME CONTROL IN ABUJA METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT

This research work examines the Nigeria Police force and crime control in Abuja metropolis with the specific objectives to examine the role of the Nigeria Police in combating crime in the society, identify the inadequacies of the police in the discharge of their functions and to proffer practical solutions for combating crimes in Nigeria. The methods of data collection were primary and secondary data method. The data collected were analyzed by use of simple percentages and descriptive statistics. Findings of the study show that the Nigeria police force performed several roles such as crime detection, prevention, control and prosecution of criminals in their attempt to maintain law and orderliness in the community but without challenges, such challenges as identified by the include but limited to corruption, poor welfare, poor funding, inadequate arms and ammunition and lack of public support. Finally the study recommend that the Nigerian police force should put more effort in improving  their relationship with the members of the public in other to gain the confidence of the people for easy flow of information which is the pillar of crime control and prevention and the government at all level should help in the provision of sophisticated arms, patrol vans/ power bikes, rain coat, and all other crime fighting arms to both the Police to help them contribute effectively for a better crime free society especially Abuja metropolis.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the study

Crime is one of the most obvious events which confront people in this modern age (Giddens, 2004). According to Ugwuoke (2010), crime and criminality are as old as mankind. Crime to Marshall (2008) is a universal feature of all human societies. The reason for this according to Marshall is because there is no human society where norms and values are not violated, from the simplest hunting and gathering societies to the most complex civilized societies. It is because of this universal character of crime that every society is expected to have ‘specific mechanisms for the overall interest and wellbeing of the generality of the populace’ (Igbo, 2007:14)

The phenomenon, “crime” has been a major subject of private and public concern throughout human history. No society is free of crime. However, the question often asked is that even if crime is part of inevitable human behaviour, how much of it can a society tolerate? This question is linked to man’s natural instinct for survival, the ability to respond to any threat to his life and property. Crime poses such a threat, particularly in its violent form. The recent upsurge in violent crimes in Nigeria has created enormous uncertainty in the security of lives and property of individuals and of social stability in general. The incidents of traditional crimes such as armed robbery, arson, drug trafficking and abuse, murder, kidnapping, rape, hired assassinations and ritual killings are examples of the most serious and violent crimes which have been on the increase in the recent past. Correspondingly, White Collar Crimes in the form of Advance Fee Fraud (popularly, known as 419), contract deals, embezzlement and mismanagement in both the public and private sectors are also on the increase. The aggregate of the traditional crimes mostly committed by the less privileged and white collar crimes mostly committed by the highly placed call for a change in the strategies for the prevention and control of crime in Nigeria and Abuja in particular.

The existing patterns in criminal activities show that criminals are getting more organized, sophisticated and brutal in the manner they carry out their dastardly acts, either in the way they physically attack individuals with dangerous weapons or the method they use in taking advantage of their official positions to steal and stash away millions of public funds in foreign and domestic accounts. Equally worrisome is the new dimension in organized criminal behaviour in Nigeria involving acts of terrorism and sabotage against individuals and public places. Recent incidents, in which some individual were stalked and eventually trapped in the volley of bullets from assault weapons, depict the viciousness of violent criminals. These acts are usually well-planned, orchestrated, syndicated and organized in the mafia-type fashion. In addition to these new patterns of violent crimes against persons, there is also the equally disturbing criminal behaviour against the Nigerian economy leading to the collapse of financial institutions and government parastatals. In short, we are witnessing the emergences of dangerous trends in the nation’s social and economic well-being which needs to be addressed by the appropriate authorities saddled with the responsibilities of maintaining peace and orderly in the society among which is the Nigeria Police Force.

The law has clothed the Nigeria Police with enviable powers in the sphere of administration of justice, preservation of law, order and maintenance of national tranquility. The section from the 1999 Constitution provides that the Police shall be organized and administered in accordance with such provisions as may be prescribed by the Act of the National Assembly. In exercise of the constitutional powers conferred on the National Assembly to enact the Police Act.

In the exercise of its primary powers, the Police also act in other spheres which are necessarily incidental to the exercise of the actual powers of the police. For instance, in the exercise of the primary duty of the police under section 4 of the Police Act, the Act gives the Police the power of public prosecution. By these powers, the police can charge and prosecute any person suspected to have committed a crime before any court of law in Nigeria.

In the bid to create a favourable condition for the discharge of the duty of the police; the Police Act has also given the police the power to arrest any person suspected to have committed a crime with or without warrants. The Police by the provision of the Act is also empowered to detain any person reasonably suspected to be in possession or carrying stolen property, or property that is reasonably believed to be unlawfully obtained. For the purpose of forensic investigation, the law empowers the police to take finger prints. It should, however, be noted that the exercise of these numerous powers conferred on the police has to be discharged with due regards to reasonability and decorum. Any exercise of such powers in contravention of procedures accepted practice and the rights of individuals would be rendered ultra-vires null and void. This is importantly so as individual rights are also fundamentally guaranteed by the same Constitution that confers powers on the police.

The vital and indispensable roles peace and security play in all facets of human development and existence, especially in our society incontrovertibly cannot either be swept under the carpet or dismissed with mere wave of hands. This is true because in any society, be it simple or complex, developed or developing and rural or urban, man in his state of nature is a wanting animal, and insatiable, who is always confronted with the problems of diverse interest and goals, at times insolvable, unless infringement upon other people’s right is employed, it is against this background that this study seek to examine the police and crime control in Abuja metropolis.

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Crime and the cases of crime is fast becoming a serious problem in contemporary world. The high rate of crime in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory has raised a general feeling of insecurity of lives and property, and have made residents of the city to cry out for urgent assistance to curb the ugly situation in order to safeguard the lives and property of community members. In an anxious bid to tackle this rising wave of crime, the governments have increased support to Nigeria police service in areas of personnel, logistics and firearms. However it seems that the more weapons and police personnel deployed to fight crime, the more criminal activities are committed. Chukwuma (2002) noted that the much that has been achieved seems to be crime spreading from one area to another. The argument therefore is that to deal with the growing sophisticated armed robbery operations, superior weapons, more personnel and new methods or strategy like police/public partnership (community policing) should be introduced.

1.3     Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study is to appraise the performance of the police in their role of crime control in Abuja metropolis. The specific objectives of this research work are:

1. To examine the role of the Nigeria Police in combating crime in the society.
2. To identify the inadequacies of the police in the discharge of their functions.
3. To proffer practical solutions for combating crimes in Nigeria.

1.4     Research Questions

1. What are the roles of the Nigeria Police in combating crime in the society?
2. What are the inadequacies of the police in the discharge of their functions?
3. What are the practical solutions for combating crimes in Nigeria?

1.5     Significance of the Study

The importance of this research work cannot be over emphasized. It analyses the role of Police in crime control in the Nigeria society in order to give the public clearer views on police administration.

Also, the research is necessitated to show case the indiscriminate violations of human rights by the police and the gross increase of crime rate in the country which often leaves much to be desired.

With the above issues, this research will serve as a viable source of information to all and sundry. First, it will benefit the police, those engaged in crime control and administration of justice, law enforcement agencies and the court. It will also provide relevant suggestions on how best to curb the increase of crimes; it is also of immense benefit to policy makers, government officials, academicians, students and anyone interested in the peaceful co-existence of the Nigerian populace.

1.6     Scope of the Research

This research is limited to the role of Nigeria Police in crime control in Abuja. It will also look into the issues of crimes prevention and mechanisms for control crimes in Nigeria. But, reference shall be made to Abuja metropolis. Analysis was also made to other police organization to enhance more knowledge on this area.

1.7     Operational Definition of Terms

The following basic concepts are operationalized for easy comprehension of the study:

Community Policing: It is a collaborative effort between the police and the members of the public to identify the problems of crime and disorder and to develop solutions from within the community in crime reduction.

Crime: Crime in this study means any action which contravenes the laws established by political authority.

Crime Control: In this study, crime control is the means of solving crime problems, arresting suspects, processing and incapacitating offenders by the members of society, agents and the criminal justice system.

Crime Fighting Policing: This is the kind of policing that do not need the collaboration of the member of the society in crime control/fight but solely depend on themselves to dictate and control crime example is the police we have during military era.

Crime Prevention: In this study, it is the present interventions in stopping future crime.

Crime Reduction: It is all the effort from the people and the government to reduce the rate of crime in a given society.

Law Enforcement Agencies: They are those that are responsible for detecting, fighting and controlling crime in any society.

Perception: It is the way a set of people see or understand a given circumstances, or the awareness created by some people about something or issues.

Strategy: In this study, strategy is the way or means of doing the same thing in a different way for more positive result.

Traditional Policing: Principally, they are government agency responsible for law enforcement and also to detect and arrest criminals, (Swanson, Territo and Taylor 1998). It is also to mean in this research work the kind of police system used before the advent of the colonial masters, whereby the emirs at the north uses palace guards, the oba at the west make use of palace guards and council of elders of the east uses age-grade to ensure order.