The EFFECT OF COMMUNITY POLICING IN CURBING CRIME IN NIGERIA
Abstract
Community policing is a concept that is fast gaining ground in Nigeria especially among the police. Its model emphasizes proactive rather than reactive policing. The involvement of the community in crime fighting is a very essential element of community policing. While the Nigeria Police Force is used to the traditional model of policing where authorities are centralized and police only respond to call for service, in contrast, community policing believes that powers and responsibility of policing the neighbourhood should be shared between the police and the community.
Partnership and understanding between the general public and the Police gave birth to POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE (PCRC) nationwide under the then IGP, Mr.EtimIyang in May 1984. By April 2004, President OlusegunObasanjo initiated Community policing in collaboration with police authorities under the tutelage of former Inspector General of Police, Mr.TafaBalogun. This policing strategy has been incorporated into modern policing so that the police will respond to democratic system of governance.
Community policing should be welcomed not only because traditional policing has been failing because it is reactive rather than proactive, but also, the police personnel are part and parcels of the community that they serve. Looking at the prevailing insecurity in Nigeria, adherence to the principles of community policing will help the Nigeria Police Force to overcome the security challenges.
The slow development of community policing in Nigeria is due largely to the police history that is built on a semi-military command structure. However, as community policing begins to gain acceptance by the police, it will reduce crime rate because the public will assist the police in crime fighting by becoming the eye of the police in the community.
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