18 Jun 2007: ISS Today: Community Policing In Africa: It Is Beyond Fad Or Fashion

18 June 2007: Community Policing In Africa: It Is Beyond Fad Or Fashion

 

Throughout history, societies have established rules to govern the conduct of individuals, and have devised punishments for those who broke these rules. The earliest record of an ancient society’s need for rules to control human behavior dates back to approximately 2300 BC when the Sumerian rulers set down standards for what constituted an offence against society. Since then policing evolved slowly through the centuries to the stage in which we find it today.

 

Since its birth, modern policing can be said to have passed through four eras. Initially the police service was highly political, narrowly serving the interests of the powers in office. It then developed into the “era of legality”, in which police served as a strong arm of the state to enforce law and order. At this stage policing focused on reactive crime investigation undertakings. Later, policing entered the era when police officers became involved not only in law enforcement, but also in rendering services. The police responded to the needs of the public more and more. Recently, the police service has entered the era known as the ‘community policing era’. This is a relatively new phenomenon resulting from societal needs such as the following:

  • A growing demand for a more responsive and customer-oriented policing
  • A growing demand for greater police accountability
  • Unrealistic expectations on the part of the community about the effectiveness of traditional police responses
  • The inability of the traditional policing approach to provide a long term answer to crime and problems of disorder
  • An increasing awareness that police cannot shoulder the burden of crime alone
  • A requirement that the police provide value for the money in the service they provide.

 

Community policing is a philosophy that guides police management styles and strategies to bring about a quality of life and a state of tranquility for the community by requiring:

  • Partnership with the community and concerned institution,
  • Adopting a problem solving approach,
  • Bringing the public into the decision of policing priorities,
  • Empowerment of subordinates and delegation of decisions to them.

 
To introduce community policing into a police force requires, therefore, an agreed set of values and beliefs about policing to which all employees are committed. This commitment will not be achieved easily and will require a process of education, consultation and persuasion. How this is achieved and what is included are going to be the vital foundation steps in generating the required change. The exact nature of the process will need to be determined at the same time, but there are some core beliefs and values that must be included. These are set out below:

  • Respect for and protection of human rights
  • Transparency and openness in relation to activities and relationships, inside and outside the organisation.
  • Demonstrating commitment at all times to deliver the best possible policing service
  • Empowerment of all employees to make appropriate decisions that facilitate the delivery of quality of service
  • Willingness to seek for, listen to, and act upon, public opinion regarding policing priorities.

 

Community policing is a manifestation of participatory governance in action. It requires the active participation of local government, civic and business leaders, public and private agencies, residents, churches and mosques, schools, and hospitals. All who share a concern for the welfare of the neighborhood should bear responsibility for safeguarding that welfare. The implementation of community policing requires fundamental changes in the structure and management of police organisation.

 

The term ‘Community Policing’ is now becoming more and more popular in Africa. Each state talks about community policing, but the question remains, “does community policing really exist in Africa?”

 

Since the police force -- as an institution -- is perceived by the public as part of the state machinery, it is not easy to establish a partnership between the police and the public on an  equal footing. As a result, police services in Africa are not perceived in community policing terms. It would not be accurate to describe policing in Africa today as ‘community policing’ since, in the first place, most African governments lack legitimacy, including those that hold offices by virtue of “democratic” process.

 

To sum up, the habits, and more than that the mentality, of governments in Africa have to be transformed, particularly as regards their posture towards their people, the governed. The only form of sustainable governance is one that is considered legitimate by the people, and this legitimacy must be earned. In such a context, governments should work at transforming their police forces into service-providing policing institutions. If the police are considered, managed and led in purely ‘force’ terms, community policing will not see the light of day in Africa. Further more, states should strengthen their efforts to position the police forces in a position that enables them to be seen with respect. Police ethics, moral values, and legality should be given priority in training and in the administration of the force/service. Success in this area in turn would contribute to a deeper sense of peace in the community.

 

Remember, security is needed after human beings physiological needs are satisfied, and the policing service is vital to the well being of people and societies. Fighting crime requires a partnership between the community and the State. One side cannot succeed at this. After all, as the Ethiopian saying has it, “it is impossible to clap with one hand.”

 

Commander Abebe Muluneh: ISS/ICPAT, Addis AbabaÂ