Community policing is a new phenomenon widely used to provide security extension through police-community partnership or cooperation between the state security providers and the community. This philosophy has proven to be an alternative for developing countries especially where the state capacity to provide security is limited.
This process involves using the community for crimes information, crimes prevention and fighting crimes. Hence, various communities have adopted the approach of combining community partnerships with people and police personnel as it leads to strengthening crime prevention, combating strategies and procedures (Wehrman 2011). However, the results of COP in different part of the world vary especially judging from the different forms, challenges and different situations confronting the implementation. According to Wisler and Onwudiwe (2008) and Denny (2013), the Western model of the COP entails a situation where the State organize COP activities for proper community partnership while the African model is an establishment organized by the people.
With either of the methods, Liberia’s experience was less effective due to factors outlined as the exclusion of Non-state security providers from the SSR process, Police Corruption, Low funding and loss of trust in the police. It is important to note that after examination of the above factors, the research concords with two factors as key as influence that demoralise the workings of COP and therefore undermine its effectiveness in Liberia.
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
1.1 What community Police means
1.2 The rise of Community Policing
1.3 Problem statement
1.4 Research Aim and Objectives
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Significance of the Study
1.7 Research Methodology
2.0 Evaluating Community Policing in Liberia
2.1 Has COP work in Liberia?
3.0 The exclusion of the Informal security sector from Liberia Post conflict security reform undermines COP activities?
4.0 The impact of Police Corruption on COP in Liberia
5.0 The role of low funding to Police programs in Liberia
6.0 Lack of public trust and community collaboration in the COP program in Liberia
7.0 CONCLUSION
Research Objective & Topics
The primary aim of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of Community Policing (COP) in Liberia and determine the underlying factors that have hindered its success since its implementation. The study seeks to provide a critical assessment of why, despite global recognition of the COP philosophy, the Liberian experience has faced significant challenges.
- The influence of excluding informal security sectors from national security reform.
- The pervasive impact of police corruption on community-police relations.
- Financial limitations and lack of adequate funding for police programs.
- The erosion of public trust and the subsequent lack of community collaboration.
Excerpt from the Book
4.0 The impact of Police Corruption on COP in Liberia
Just as any police force in the world, the Liberian policing mandate is to protect property, fight crimes, promote fundamental rights and ensure safety. To have all these achieved with fairness and equity under the law, the police must work with the community. Sadly, according to the human rights watch (2013) the Liberian police is violating the mandate and persecuting civilians by abusing their position.
Corruption by the police is one of the challenges that kept posing threat to the achievements made by the Liberia post war government. According to the RAND (2009) report, there are deep uncertainties about the ‘proficiency and integrity of LNP among Liberian citizens who have experienced the opposite of what the new LNP is meant to be’(2009: 11). RAND report further stipulated that until these uncertainties are perpetuallylaid to rest, the LNP will not enjoy the collaboration it needs to be effective,and ‘citizens will attempt to provide for their own safety from crime and violence, withcounterproductive effects’ ( RAND 2009 ) .This chapter reflects on police corruption as the second reason why COP was less effective in Liberia’s experience.
Summary of Chapters
1.0 Introduction: Provides a foundational understanding of the COP concept, its historical context, and the research methodology utilized for this study.
2.0 Evaluating Community Policing in Liberia: Offers a literature review and an initial assessment of the workability of COP within the Liberian context.
3.0 The exclusion of the Informal security sector from Liberia Post conflict security reform undermines COP activities?: Discusses how the failure to incorporate non-state security actors into national reform has hindered effective policing.
4.0 The impact of Police Corruption on COP in Liberia: Analyzes how institutional corruption and abuse of power have alienated the public and undermined policing efforts.
5.0 The role of low funding to Police programs in Liberia: Explores how inadequate financial resources and logistical deficits prevent the police from fulfilling their duties.
6.0 Lack of public trust and community collaboration in the COP program in Liberia: Examines how the historical legacy of distrust leads to poor community cooperation, which is essential for successful policing.
7.0 CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the main arguments and presents the final findings regarding the failure or success of COP in Liberia.
Keywords
Community Policing, Liberia National Police, Security Sector Reform, Police Corruption, Public Trust, Non-state actors, Post-conflict policing, Financial constraints, Crime prevention, Accountability, Community partnership, Vigilantism, Law enforcement, Sustainable security, Institutional reform.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary goal of this dissertation?
The main objective is to investigate the effectiveness of Community Policing in Liberia and identify the specific factors that contributed to its relative failure.
Which theoretical framework does the author use for COP?
The research relies heavily on the perspective of Kappeler and Gaines, defining COP as a philosophy of partnership and problem-solving between police and the community.
What are the four key obstacles identified by the author?
The study highlights the exclusion of informal security sectors, police corruption, low funding, and the lack of public trust as the main barriers to success.
How is the methodology structured?
The research utilizes secondary data collection from library resources, academic databases, and institutional reports from organizations like UNMIL, UNDP, and Human Rights Watch.
Does the author believe that COP is fundamentally flawed?
No, the author argues that COP has potential, but its implementation in Liberia was poorly designed and lacked the necessary financial and structural support.
What is the role of the informal security sector in this study?
The author argues that ignoring the informal or "non-state" security providers during post-conflict reform was a major misstep that undermined the reach of COP.
What specific link does the author make between low funding and police corruption?
The author posits that poor pay and lack of resources drive officers toward corruption to meet their basic needs, which in turn destroys the trust required for community collaboration.
How do the author's findings on trust compare to UNMIL reports?
While UNMIL reports noted improvements in reporting due to increased confidence, the author maintains that deep-seated public mistrust remains a significant hurdle to effective collaboration.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Emmanuel David Togba (Autor:in), 2017, Why community policing in Liberia was less effective, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/382699
