CSS Solved Criminology Past Paper 2024 | Community Policing, Benefits, Challenges, and Solutions
Question Breakdown
In this question, the examiner has demanded a detailed discussion on community policing. Basically, the question has four main parts that require explanation: the concept of community policing, its potential benefits in Pakistan, challenges associated with it in the context of Pakistan, and measures to address those challenges effectively. To make the answer outstanding, one can add scholarly definitions, examples – particularly from Pakistan – and various acts that include articles related to community policing. Moreover, one ought to explain how community policing can help improve the relationship between police and the public along with the challenges associated with it. The quality of the answer can be accentuated by adding diagrams, relevant quotations, and flow charts.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Explaining the Concept of Community Policing
- ✓Definition of Community Policing
- ✓Models of Community Policing
3-Potential Benefits of Community Policing in Pakistan
- ✓Strengthening Public Security
- ✓Enhancing Trust and Cooperation
- ✓Proactive Problem Solving
- ✓Participation of All Strata of the Community
- ✓Collective Effort by the People to Combat Crime
- ✓Cost Effective in Comparison to Traditional Policing
- ✓Sharing Valuable Information
4-Challenges in Implementing Community Policing in Pakistan
- ✓Lack of Sufficient Resources
- ✓Skepticism of the Populace
- ✓Resistance to Change
- ✓Rampant Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Police Departments
5-Addressing the Challenges Associated with Implementing the Community Policing Effectively in Pakistan
- ✓Training and Capacity Building of Police Personnel
- ✓Provision of Sufficient Resources
- ✓Eradicating Corruption
6-Critical Analysis
7-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
A significant aspect of community policing is the strong partnership and faithful relationship between the police officers and the populace. This model of policing assists law enforcement agencies as well as the public in fighting crime and reaching criminals because they collaborate with one another. Community policing is an approach and philosophy that accentuates the significance of establishing relationships and ensuring cooperation among the police and members of the community. The cooperation between police and community members not only helps in problem-solving but is also crucial for tackling the underlying causes of criminal activities along with social unrest. The Police Order 2002 in Pakistan describes the significance of community policing. Along with improving public trust in law enforcement agencies, community-based policing can also minimize the burden on the criminal justice system of the country. Nonetheless, implementation of a community-based model of policing is difficult due to people’s resistance to change and the lack of proper training for police officers.
Explaining Community Policing
Definition of Community Policing
Community policing accentuates the significance of dealing with the underlying causes of crime in order to develop relationships and connections. On the other hand, traditional policing emphasizes on crisis management. Also, it is often more reactive.
“Community policing is defined as involving three key components: developing community partnership, engaging problem-solving, and implementing community policing organizational structure.”
Community policing seeks to mitigate crimes and eradicate social instability by the provision of police services. It necessitates the participation of both police personnel as well as natives in order to maintain law and order along with controlling crime. According to the US Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services,
“Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.”
Sir Robert Peel, the father of Modern Policing in the UK, who is also a British statesman, put forth nine principles of policing. The seventh principle explains
“Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.”
Models of Community Policing
A philosophy of policing, called ‘community policing’, suggests that local community ought to be engaged in planning besides administration of police operations.
Officers from law enforcement agencies, along with members of the community, cooperate and have a collaborative relationship in order to deal with the matters of policing in the Collaborative Model of Community Policing. On the other hand, in the Command Model of Community Policing, the community is in chargeof administering police operations via representative policing.
Potential Benefits of Community Policing in Pakistan
According to the Article 168 of Police Order 2002, citizen-police liaison committees ought to be established.
“The Government may establish Citizen Police Liaison Committees as voluntary, self-financing and autonomous bodies, in consultation with National Public Safety Commission or Provincial Public Safety Commission, as the case may be, for; (a) training and capacity building of Public Safety Commission; (b) developing mechanism for liaison between aggrieved citizens and police for providing relief; and (c) assistance to Public Safety Commissions, Police Complaints Authority and the police for the expeditious and judicious discharge of their duties.”
Strengthening Public Security
Community policing not only reduces the use of physical and direct violence but also minimizes societal violence. Moreover, conflicts are also resolved rapidly due to the collaboration of law enforcement officers and the public. Community members, along with the police personnel, deal with the underlying reasons for criminal acts as well as endeavour to mitigate those issues. As a result, peaceful coexistence is envisioned in heterogeneous communities. For instance, community policing projects in Karachi aimed at preventing crime via neighbourhood watch programs and youth engagement activities.
Enhancing Trust and Cooperation
Community policing also improves the trust of the public in law enforcement agencies by addressing the grievances of people regarding the police departments at all levels (district, provincial, and national). For instance, community policing initiatives in Lahore contributed by disseminating information regarding the criminal activities prevalent in the city along with fostering relations between the police personnel and the public. In addition, these initiatives also empowered the natives to make a substantial contribution to the welfare of the people and the state, thus, strengthening the sense of responsibility among them.
Proactive Problem Solving
In community-based policing, through the cooperation of people and police personnel and a stronger belief in police legitimacy, crimes and instability are mitigated by society. In addition, the business community, along with other agencies, also participate in order to resolve various issues. Among several other benefits of community policing, identification, analysis, response, and evaluation of issues faced by the members of the community are also some of its advantages. In Islamabad, for instance, the community policing programs help in addressing issues like substance abuse by ensuring education as well as community outreach.
Participation of All Strata of the Community
All the groups of society, including natives, the business community, and governmental and non-governmental organizations, are required to participate actively in community policing. In a community-based policing model, all stakeholders ought to be taken on board, and establishing partnerships with the members of the community is crucial in finding a solution for the problems via joint effort.
Collective Effort by the People to Combat Crime
In community policing, the members of the community endeavour with the police personnel to prevent and mitigate criminal activities. For instance, the Community Policing Centers (CPCs) in Karachi made street watch, regular home visits for acquiring opinions as well as neighborhood patrolling mandatory for the Community Police Officers (CPOs), ensuring their direct contact with the natives.
Cost Effective in Comparison to Traditional Policing
Community policing helps in curbing and preventing the crime through strategic initiatives and by understanding the root causes of crime after interacting with the community. Therefore, it is less costly in the longer run as compared to the traditional policing methods.
Sharing Valuable Information
Due to community policing, trust and cordial relationships are established between police officers and members of the community. It also helps in sharing of valuable information. For instance, the Citizen Police Liaison Committee – Sindh initiated several programs for the welfare of society, due to which public confidence in police departments has increased. As a result of increased public confidence in police departments, people are willing to provide significant information regarding criminals, suspects, or activities that can lead to heinous crimes.
Challenges in Implementing Community Policing in Pakistan
Lack of Sufficient Resources
Due to a lack of proper training, sufficient funding, and a shortage of staff, the progress of community policing is hindered in Pakistan. Furthermore, the police personnel ought to educated and empathetic in order to interact with the members of community.
Skepticism of the Populace
Due to rampant corruption and the insensitive behaviour of police officers towards victims and their families, the trust deficit has been exacerbated among people towards law enforcement agencies. As a result, the populace is sceptical about initiatives, like community policing efforts, taken by police departments. For instance, historical mistrust towards police officers is envisioned among people in the Balochistan region.
Resistance to Change
Another big challenge related to the effective implementation of the community-based policing model is that police departments are unwilling to transform their structures, cultures, and operational tactics, which are essential for community policing. Traditional policing models are deeply ingrained in Pakistan, which makes the transformation troublesome.
Rampant Corruption and Lack of Transparency in Police Departments
When police officers are deprived of proper funding and resources and are forced to work in terrible conditions, they often resort to corruption. According to a survey conducted by Transparency International, the police is one of the most corrupt departments in the country, and lack of accountability, the greed of influential people as well as lower wages of officers are the prime reasons for corruption. As a result, police personnel become corrupt and collaborate with offenders rather than prevent crimes.
Addressing the Challenges Associated with Implementing Community Policing Effectively in Pakistan
Police Personnel Training and Capacity Building
In order to deal with the challenges that impact the proper application of community-based policing models, training and capacity building of police officers is to be ensured. This will help empower the police personnel with the skills required for building relationships with the public and reaching the root cause of crime. For instance, in Canada, a graduate of Trent University studied the impact of community policing on condemning discrimination and stigmatization of Somali people in Rexdale.
Provision of Sufficient Resources
Despite this, sufficient resources like funding, staff, and advanced technology are paramount for the effective implementation of community-based policing. Though the United States has enough resources, long-term research regarding the success of community policing is still required.
Eradicating Corruption
In addition, in order to eradicate corruption from law enforcement agencies, robust measures ought to be taken. It is crucial for fostering trust between people and police personnel, along with enhancing the police departments’ credibility.
Critical Analysis
Though the community-based models of policing are progressing in Pakistan, their effective implementation is still a considerable challenge. According to the Social Disorganization Theory by Shaw and McKay, crime is caused by weak relationships between community members as well as institutions. Therefore, community policing is crucial for minimizing crime in society by strengthening cooperation and building trust among people and law enforcement agencies. Though community policing initiatives have helped in reducing criminal activities and increasing public cooperation, issues like insufficient resources and corruption etc., undermine all the endeavours by Community Police Liaison Committees (CPLCs) in cities like Karachi.
Hence, rigorous reforms like proper training of police forces and resource allocation are crucial for the diverse socio-cultural landscape of Pakistan for ensuring the effective implementation of community-based policing models.
Conclusion
To cap it all, a type of decentralized and specialized policing for dealing with the underlying reasons of crime and enhancing partnerships between the public and police departments is known as community policing. It resolves the issues at the grassroots level and emphasizes long-term proactive problem-solving. Effective implementation of a community-based model of policing in Pakistan can help in minimizing the financial costs and workload for the criminal justice system. Furthermore, it will empower the people of various communities and result in social integration. Nevertheless, lack of trust and sufficient resources serves as an obstacle to the effective implementation of community policing models.
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