CSS Solved Criminology Past Paper CSS Special 2023 | Community Policing and Prevention of Crimes with Examples
Question Breakdown
A profound discussion and explanation of community policing is demanded in this question by the examiner. To elaborate, three significant components in the question require explanation, which includes the concept of community policing, its effectiveness in the prevention of crimes, and examples related to community policing preventing crimes. By adding scholarly references, definitions and examples from various countries, including Pakistan, aspirants can score well in this answer. Moreover, the role of community policing in ameliorating relations between police and the community, along with the challenges associated with it, are to be delineated. The answer can be further improved by including diagrams, flow charts, tables, and relevant quotes.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Explanation of Community Policing
- ✓Defining Community Policing
- ✓Community-Oriented Policing Models
3-Significance of Community Policing for Society
- ✓Potential Benefits of Community Policing
- ✓Problems Affecting the Implementation of Community Policing
- ✓Addressing the Problems Associated with the Proper Execution of Strategies of Community Policing
4-Functions of Community Policing in the Prevention of Crimes in Society
- ✓Improved Trust and Cooperation
- ✓Enhanced Public Safety
- ✓Controlling Crime by Analyzing and Evaluating Problems of Community Members
- ✓Active Participation of Various Societal Groups
- ✓Preventing Crime via Collective Endeavors
5-Critical Analysis
6-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The community-based policing model is characterized by faith-based public and police relationships, having strong interaction, partnership, trust-based cooperation, and assistance aimed at fighting against crimes and criminals as well as uprooting the menace of crime from the community. It is a philosophy and strategy that emphasizes developing relationships and working in close collaboration with community members. In Pakistan, the Police Order 2002 delineates the significance of community-oriented policing. Community policing can not only enhance public confidence in police departments but also reduce responsibilities on the country’s criminal justice system. To deal with the underlying causes of crime and social instability, problem-solving and cooperative endeavours between police officers and communities are paramount. According to an American criminologist as well as a former police chief and drug czar, Lee P. Brown,
“Community policing is a collaborative partnership between the police and law-abiding citizens designed to prevent crime, arrest offenders, solve neighborhood problems, and improve the quality of life in the community.”
Explanation of Community Policing
According to the United Nations Police (UNPOL),
“A strategy for encouraging the public to act as partners with the police in preventing and managing crime as well as other aspects of security and order based on the community’s needs is known as community policing.”
Article 168 of Police Order 2002accentuates that the establishment of citizen-police liaison committees is considerably significant.
“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.”
Defining Community Policing
While the traditional model of policing focuses on addressing the crisis and often acts in response, community-oriented policing emphasizes the importance of addressing the root causes of crime by building relationships.
“Community policing involves three key components: developing community partnership, engaging in problem-solving, and implementing community policing organizational structure.”
It requires police and citizens to accomplish crime control and maintain law and order together. Sir Robert Peel, also called the initiator of Modern Policing in the United Kingdom, delineated certain principles of policing. One of the principles states,
“Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historical 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.”
Community-Oriented Policing Models
Community policing is a philosophy of policing that requires the involvement of community members in formulating and managing functions of law enforcement agencies. Generally, community policing is considered to have the following two models.
According to the Collaborative Model, police and community members collaborate on policing issues. Conversely, the Command Model is the one in which the community has the authority to administrate police force via representative policing.
Significance of Community Policing for Society
Potential Benefits of Community Policing
In order to minimize the issues and address their root causes, the local community makes efforts along with the members of the police force, due to which diverse populations are able to live in harmony. United Nations Police (UNPOL) includes officers from 129 countries and has adopted community policing. They play a substantial role in maintaining international peace and security. 15% violent crimes were reduced in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to the involvement of Dispute Resolution Councils launched by police departments. Every group of interest (natives, business community, governmental and non-governmental organizations) should participate in community policing. Establishing partnerships with community members is crucial to solving problems via joint effort. Moreover, the Police Community Interaction Program introduced by Islamabad police in cooperation with community members helped mitigate crimes related to property and theft by up to 10%. Cost-effectiveness, as well as recognition and assessment of problems from which communities suffer, are among the advantages of community policing.
Problems Affecting the Implementation of Community Policing
Police departments in Pakistan are sceptical of change and not willing to transform the existing structures, as well as manoeuvring techniques that are crucial in community-based policing. The deeply rooted models of policing in Pakistan are a substantial hurdle in this transformation. Moreover, lacking proper training, staff, and financial resources hinders the implementation of community policing models. Most of the time, police officers are insensitive towards people’s issues, which has shattered their trust, thus making them sceptical about community policing efforts. Furthermore, rampant corruption has also adversely impacted the confidence and trust of the public. According to an article titled “Urban Policing Challenges: A Case Study of Karachi, Pakistan” (2023), political pressure and lack of supervision, incentives, and governance impact police performance substantially, with a standard deviation difference of 1.327%, indicating a notable impact.
Addressing the Problems Associated with the Proper Execution of Strategies of Community Policing
To address the issues hindering the proper execution of models of modern policing, investment in capacity building and training of police officers should be made to empower them with the skills essential for community-based policing. Furthermore, sufficient resources, including financial, personnel, and technological resources, should be allocated for the effective implementation of community-based policing. Not only this but robust measures ought to be taken to minimize corruption in the police departments. This is crucial for increasing the credibility of law enforcement agencies and building trust among members of the community and law enforcement agencies.
Functions of Community Policing in the Prevention of Crimes in Society
When community and police officers collaborate to build a secure environment, public confidence in law enforcement agencies increases. Therefore, people are encouraged to report concerns envisioned in their region that are likely to turn into criminal activity or violence. The information provided by the community members helps the police officers take action to deter potential offenders.
Role of Community Policing in Preventing Crimes
Improved Trust and Cooperation
Public confidence in police forces is ameliorated via community policing because grievances of people related to police departments are addressed, which helps prevent crime. For instance, the Punjab Safe Cities Authority of Lahore uses advanced technology and engages community members in crime prevention, and in 2022, community members reported a significantly decreased number of crimes. Moreover, in Johannesburg (South Africa), community police forums in various townships work to bridge the gap between community members and police officers to prevent crimes and social unrest.
Enhanced Public Safety
Community policing decreases direct as well as indirect societal and cultural violence. In addition, the partnership between the police force and the people prevents conflict and resolves it efficiently. Community members work in collaboration with law enforcement agencies in order to address the primary causes of criminal activities and make efforts to minimize their effects. As an illustration, community policing projects in Karachi are aimed at preventing crime via neighbourhood watch programs and youth engagement activities.
Controlling Crime by Analyzing and Evaluating Problems of Community Members
Through community policing, society reduces instability and criminal activity by fostering greater confidence in police legitimacy and cooperation among police and people. Furthermore, the business community and other agencies contribute to resolving different issues. In the United Kingdom, the London Metropolitan Police collaborate closely with the local community so that the primary concerns can be identified and resolved proactively. In Lahore, for instance, the Lahore Police and Mohalla Committees collaborate to identify the root causes of issues like substance abuse, domestic violence, theft, etc.
Active Participation of Various Societal Groups
The participation of various societal factions comprising citizens, businessmen, and governmental and non-governmental organizations is paramount in community-oriented policing. It is crucial to foster partnerships so that crimes can be prevented. In Canada, violent crimes were reduced by up to 25% due to the cooperation of all stakeholders and Community Safety Programs with Indigenous Communities.
Preventing Crime via Collective Endeavors
In community policing, people and police personnel work together so that the crime rate can be reduced. For example, in Sydney, crimes among youth were prevented via partnerships with law enforcement agencies and non-governmental organizations, which led to a 12% crime reduction in 2022. Similarly, the Community Policing Centers (CPCs) in Karachi are responsible for keeping an eye on the streets, learning about public opinion by regularly visiting their homes, and patrolling the neighbourhood, which ensures that the Community Police Officers directly contact the citizens.
Critical Analysis
Although community policing models are developing in Pakistan, their practical execution needs to be improved. The Social Disorganization Theory by Shaw and McKay puts forth that crime is caused by weak relationships between community members and institutions. Hence, community policing is significant for reducing crime by fostering cooperation and public confidence in police forces. The initiatives related to community-oriented policing have substantially assisted in reducing criminal activities and increasing public collaboration. However, the lack of sufficient resources and corruption undermine all the endeavours of Community Police Liaison Committees (CPLCs) in cities like Karachi. Rigorous reforms like proper training of police forces and resource allocation are crucial for the diverse socio-cultural landscape of Pakistan to ensure the effective implementation of community-based policing models.
Conclusion
Cutting to the chase, “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 not only accentuates sustainable and proactive problem-solving but also emphasizes the significance of resolving issues at the grassroots level. Proper execution of models of community policing in Pakistan will not only minimize economic burden but also prevent crimes, thus mitigating the workload of the criminal justice system. Besides, it can result in national integration as people of diverse communities will be strengthened and empowered to share information and participate in matters of law enforcement.
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