While high profile criminal acts and gang violence have grabbed our national headlines, police data reveals a sharp decline in grave crimes reported in recent years. In 2014, there were 50,962 grave crimes reported; in 2015 it was 40,188, and in 2016, it fell to 36,917. Last year’s records indicate it has dropped to 35,979.
Despite the decline in grave crimes during the past few years, they still seem to pose a threat to society. Therefore, a collective effort with the participation of all parties is required to minimize this social malady.
In legal terms, grave crime is defined as homicide, abetting suicide, attempted murder, rape/ incest, inflicting bodily harm, injury caused by knives. etc., grave abuse, abduction and kidnapping, trading and supplying women for prostitution. Of these crimes, 65% were for rape and bodily harm, with an increase in the overall drug offences.
Radical change
Globally, it is now accepted that policing strategies alone are not as effective today, as in the past. The social fabric of the country has changed radically during the last five decades. The family unit is not as stable as it once was.There is also little doubt that all of the new technologies, led by the Internet, are shaping the way people think. The younger generation, too, is changing with too much screen time.
It is clear, a traditional policing strategy by itself cannot reduce crime, considering the fact that about two-thirds of police activity is non-criminal in nature; and police can do very little to prevent a crime that is about to happen.
It is the reason why many countries have adapted to systems based on community participation and involvement, as a solution to crime prevention. Every system stems from the fact that crime is produced by societal forces that are non-stoppable by the police.
Hence, a culturally modified community-oriented policing philosophy would fit into our overall national strategy for crime prevention. However, very little research has been done in this regard and more research is needed before taking a decision.
Definition
Community based policing is defined as a philosophy that combines traditional aspects of law enforcement with prevention measures, problem-solving, community engagement, and community partnerships
On the basis of this definition:
(a) It is not a program such as foot patrols, cycle patrols, or police sub stations, although each may be incorporated as part of a broader strategic plan.
(b) It emphasizes changes in police organizational structures. The Police should be aligned to support partnerships and proactive problem-solving in areas such as, training, recruiting, authority structures, technology, and deployment.
(c) It recognizes that police can rarely solve public safety problems by itself, and encourages inter-active partnerships with relevant stakeholders. The range of potential partners includes other government agencies, businesses, NGOs, individuals, and the media.
(d) It emphasizes proactive problem-solving in a systematic fashion. Problem solving is infused into all police operations and guides decision-making.
(e) Rather than responding to crime after it occurs, community-oriented policing encourages agencies to work proactively to develop solutions to the immediate underlying conditions contributing to public safety problems. They may be - limiting criminal opportunities and access to victims, increasing guardianship, and associating risk with unwanted behaviour, etc.
Components
There are three key components to community-oriented policing philosophy, i.e. (a) the trust and reliance on effective partnerships with the community and other public/private-sector resources, (b) the application of problem- solving strategies, and (c) the transformation of police organization to support this philosophical shift.
The goal of community-oriented policing is primarily to reduce crime by carefully examining the characteristics of problems in neighbourhoods and then applying appropriate problem-solving remedies.
The ‘community’ for which a patrol officer is given responsibility is a small, well-defined geographical area. Beats are configured in a manner that preserves, as much as possible, the unique geographical and social characteristics of neighbourhoods while still allowing efficient service.
Patrol officers are the primary providers of police services and have the most extensive contact with the community.
They provide the bulk of the daily policing needs of the community, and are assisted by immediate supervisors, other police units, and appropriate government and social agencies. Upper level managers are responsible for ensuring that the entire organization backs the efforts of patrol officers.
Effective community-oriented policing depends on optimizing contact between patrol officers and community members. Patrol cars are only one method of conveying police services. Police departments may supplement automobile patrols on foot, bicycle, scooter, and three-wheeler patrols, as well as adding ‘mini-stations’ to bring the police closer to the community.
Regular community meetings and forums would afford the police and community members an opportunity to air their concerns and find ways to address them.
Problem-solving
The fundamental theory behind community-oriented policing accepts that certain conditions create problems e.g. the social setting, in which the people interact, the physical environments, and the way the public deals with these conditions.
A problem created by these conditions may generate one or more incidents, e.g. social and physical conditions in a deteriorated shanty complex may generate burglaries, vandalism, intimidation of pedestrians by teenagers, and other incidents.
Some of these incidents, coming to the attention of the police are symptoms of hidden problems, and would continue so long as the problem that creates them persists.
As police recognize the effectiveness of the problem-solving approach, there will be a growing awareness that community involvement is essential for its success.
To be successful, community-oriented policing needs a democratic environment to flourish. This can only happen if the community and the police form a solid partnership.