The Effectiveness of Community Policing Strategies In Crimes’ Prevention in Arusha City Council in Tanzania

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study sought to assess the Effectiveness of Community Policing in Crime Prevention to the Community in Tanzania. Specifically, the study intended to identify the community policing strategies used by the Police force to reduce crime, assessing the Impact of Community Policing in reducing Crime, identifying challenges facing Police Force in administering the Community Policing and evaluating the effectiveness of community policing on crime prevention. A case study research design was employed in which Arusha City Council was taken as a case study. A total of 100 respondents were selected. The study used interview and questionnaires as data collecting tools. This study found that the main strategies used by police force to reduce crime includes; foot patrol, collaboration and community meetings, and public education programs. Community policing has no impact on reducing crimes as employed strategies such as foot patrol, Community meetings and public education programs have no effects in addressing the crime. Lack of training for officers on community engagement philosophy and methods, lack of good quality information about crime provided to communities, lack involvement in the initiative's design, implementation, and monitoring and expanded decision making by line officers, lack understanding co-operation, poorly planned engagement leads to unrealistic community expectations, lack of organizational commitment and culture change, community engagement, flexibility and tailoring at neighbourhood level are the main challenges that are faced by Police Force in administering the Community Policing. Finally, the researcher recommends community engagement to be part of core work. Communities must participate in planning and choosing approaches as well as becoming equal owners of the process. Both the Police Force and communities need to have clearly defined roles and be given the skills and resources to carry it out. Partnerships to involve two-way dialogue and good quality information and feedback; the police must value community input there is a need to adequate resources allocation by the government for training and capacity building.