Community policing and crime prevention at Kampala Central Division

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study investigated the relationship between Community Policing and Crime Prevention in Kampala Central Division, taking a case of Central Division. Specifically, the study investigated the how community participation in identifying crimes, sensitization about crimes and patrolling affects crime reduction. The study adopted a case study of Kampala Division and utilized a sample of 120 respondents selected using purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected using questionnaires and interviews guides. Quantitative Data was analyzed using correlation and multiple regression to establish the relationship between community policing and crime prevention. The study findings revealed criminal preventions was significantly related with community participation in identifying crimes, sensitization of crimes as well as patrolling and crime reduction in Kampala central division. The study concluded that community policing contributes to crime prevention in Kampala central division. The study recommended the need to improve management practices in community policing. This change management requires a clear recognition that forging community policing partnerships and implementing problem-solving activities will necessitate changes in the organizational structure of policing. Community policing needs to allow law enforcement to get back to the principles upon which it was founded, to integrate itself once again into the fabric of the community so that the people come to the police for counsel and help before a serious problem arises, not after the fact.