COMMUNITY POLICING HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY AND THE STATE OF DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF MASINDI DISTRICT

Author: Dr Namutebi Hadijah, PhD

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To examine community policing history, philosophy and the state of development in rural communities of Masindi District

Methodology: It adopted a descriptive and analytical research design, cross-sectional survey, and case study strategy. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in analyzing data collected using questionnaires, interviews, and document reviews

Findings: There was a moderately high state of development in the rural communities of Masindi given a grand mean score of 3.25 [SD±1.26]. It is however observed that, although the history and philosophy of community policing show its advancement as more proactive approach to policing in preventing crime and reducing fear of crime, inter alia, its proactivity in contributing to the development to contain potential crime and disorder has been underestimated.

Unique contribution of the theory: ‘broken windows theory’ propounded by Phillip Zimbardo (1969) cited in Van der Weele., et al. (2017), the theory of change by Kurt Lewin in 1947 as cited in Burnes (2019), and the institutional theory of organizations founded in the period 1977 – 1983 (Guth, 2016). The chronological layout of these theories is based on the notion that, the premise of community policing necessity to development is set out of the need to address social disorder and crime that would deter development should be recognized. Once appreciated, the call for change in the community policing organisation would be imminent thus providing the base for the adoption of the theory of change. Once desired change is mapped out clearly, community policing organisation structures by which such development change in rural communities is attained should be institutionalised within the policing institution.

Keywords: Community Policing, Community-Police Partnerships, Organisation Transformation, Problem-solving mechanisms, and Development

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