Addressing the challenges of law enforcement in Africa: Policing in Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zambia

This research has attempted to identify the structural and institutional weaknesses of contemporary policing in three African states.

Policing lies at the heart of any effective criminal justice system, and many of the challenges faced by judicial systems in Africa directly confront police forces on a daily basis. Increasing populations and rising crime rates confronted by under-resourced police forces reduce the capacity of the police to prevent and investigate crime. International crime, such as the illegal drug trade and money laundering, and the perception of widespread corruption at all levels of governance, further stretch the ability of the police to maintain public confidence.

This research has attempted to identify the structural and institutional weaknesses of contemporary policing in three African states, with the aim of making recommendations to increase its effectiveness.

Author: Simon Robins, Post-war Reconstruction and Development Unit, University of York, UK.