IMPLEMENTING COMMUNITY POLICING IN NIGERIA

By DCP Austin Iwar, MSc, FCMI, FInstLM

Introduction
It is critical for us to understand that countries emerging from long years of military
dictatorships always experience periods of rapid and fast-phased socio-economic and
political changes affecting state structures and institutions. These changes challenge
current thinking in governance and democracy, demanding reforms. Of critical
importance to these changes is the development and sustenance of a strong police
institution built on democratic principles. As an emerging democracy, any reform in
policing must take into account the role of the police in facilitating and perpetuating
democratic values and practices. The fundamental functions of the police service are
the protection of life and property, the maintenance of public tranquility and the
prevention and detection of crime.
In Nigeria, historical, media and social science literature on police and policing
indicate that the colonial police forces that existed in various parts of the country at
different times between 1861 and 1960 were involved in brutal suppression of the
indigenous peoples (Alemika and Chukwuma 2000; Alemika 1988; Ahire 1991;
Rotimi 1993; Odekunle 1979; Tamuno 1970). The colonial administrations used them
to maintain the exploitation and repression of labour. According to Tamuno
(1970:220) in some cases the police used batons, rifles and revolvers to suppress,
maim and kill persons who opposed colonial rule and policies. Tamuno further notes,
the police earned the displeasure of some trade union leaders and members, a factor
which did not promote good public relations as far as workers were concerned.
Alemika (1988:176) further elucidates on the point that colonial police forces in
Nigeria were organized and oriented to behave as occupation forces ruthless, brutal,
corrupt, dishonest and prone to brutalizing the colonized peoples and vandalizing their
properties.
After Nigerias independence, rather than reorient the police towards
embracing democratic values, subsequent post-colonial democratic and military
administrations used the police to enforce all sorts of authoritarian and anti-people
laws and practices, further deepening the culture of violence that the police had
inherited. Therefore, for most of its existence, Nigeria has been governed through nondemocratic institutions and processes. The police are central to governance because, it
is their duty to enforce the laws of the government in power. If the citizens view the
laws as authoritarian or illegitimate, the enforcers (the police) will be scorned
(Alemika, 1988). Thus, the police in Nigeria have always being viewed and
characterized as brutal, corrupt and ineffective. Lack of cooperation between the
police and the public has negatively impacted on the performance of the police, as
well as societys capacity to effectively prevent and control crime.

Rationale for Adopting Community Policing

The reasons for adopting the more proactive approach inherent in community policing
are both philosophical and pragmatic. At the philosophic level, any police organization
that seeks to serve democratic and humanitarian ideals must be (and be seen to be)
transparent, fair, apolitical, accountable and responsive to public perceptions and
expectations. Such policing is characterized by the notion of police service rather
than police force where the most significant benchmarks of performance is public
satisfaction, trust and confidence.
At the pragmatic level, overwhelming evidence suggests that the traditional
approach to policing tends to be inherently reactive and law-enforcement based which
invariably leads to isolation/alienation of the community. The inevitable outcome is
that image of the police suffers; public confidence declines and citizens withdraw their
voluntary support and cooperation.
According to Bayley (2005), community policing is based on the fact that the
ability of the police to control crime through law enforcement based exclusively on
their own resources is limited. Funding, therefore, provides another pragmatic and
compelling reason to pursue a community policing style. Generally, because of
competing demands on public funds for health, roads, defence, energy, schools,
portable water etc, government alone may not be able to meet all the needs of its
security agencies; hence the need for partnership, which is emphasized in community
policing.
In addition, police need to have information from the public in order to deter
crime. Accordingly, if the public does not report crime, the police cannot take action
against it. The public can also provide information about conditions that lead to crime
in their communities, enabling the police to focus their crime prevention on people,
places and situations.
Globalization too has changed everything. There are now no boundaries and no
localized geographical zones. In short, the world is no longer a global village but a
global sitting room as one commentator recently put it. The impact and power of
information and communication technology requires that the police embrace best
practices in enforcement of laws, investigations, policing major events and humane
treatment of offenders among others. Nigerians are now exposed to the Internet and
therefore are demanding for good governance, which translates to police ability to
deliver quality service to its clients i.e. the public.
Effective and efficient policing is part and parcel of good governance where the
poor, the elderly, children, women and other vulnerable segment of the society are
treated with respect and empathy. In a nutshell, the civility of the police is part of the
yardstick for judging the perception of a country. In 21st century policing, the police
have no hiding place other than to brace up and face the challenges.

The introduction of community policing in Nigeria is therefore a watershed in

the development of democratic values and practices. With staff strength of 314,000 the
NPF is charged with providing services to a widely diversified population of more
than 140 million people. When the county emerged from several years of military
dictatorship to a democracy, the police was increasingly burdened with the
responsibility of policing the transition and more importantly guaranteeing and
consolidating its fragile nature. As gatekeepers of the criminal justice system, the
competence of the police to provide services that guarantee swift access to justice will
be in greater demand and Nigerians will continue to insist on safety, security and
protection from violence and crime. Thus, community policing is a strategic step in
transforming the police and improving its performance and service delivery.
Faced with this more sophisticated and enterprising criminal threat, our emerging
policing philosophy community policing recognizes that the police alone do not
have the necessary [proactive or reactive capability and capacity to meet the
challenge. Thus multi-agency and community collaborations through partnerships
become imperative. In particular, countering serious crimes requires collaboration for
those functions where there is an operational and business imperative for joint
decisions
(IGP Ogbonna Onovo, OON, mni, January 2010)
The implementation of the Nigerian Community Policing Project
To facilitate the implementation of the Nigerian Community Policing Project, the
British Department of International Development (DFID) in 2003, through its
Security, Justice and Growth (SJG) programme, facilitated a study tour of seven police
officers to the United Kingdom (UK) to examine examples of community policing in
that country. Other study tours facilitated by MacArthur Foundation were undertaken
in the Houston Police Department, US. On their return to Nigeria, these officers were
formed into a Community Policing Project Team, with the full support of the then
Inspector-General of Police (IGP). The Project Team developed a Community
Policing Project Plan (2004) with the following aims:
To facilitate the development of community policing throughout Nigeria; and
To examine the policies, strategies, structures and organization of the Nigeria
Police, to ensure that the applicable principles and core values of community
policing are enshrined in the professional performance, ethics and codes of
conduct of the Nigeria Police.
In addition to improving police community relations and developing the enabling
environment for joint problem solving, the second aim of the project was meant to
enable a total transformation of the Force. Thus, the Project Plan had six major

elements that were interrelated and formed the bedrock of the Nigerian model of
community policing. These elements were:
Manage and deliver an awareness, sensitization and information sharing
campaign on community policing;
Implement community policing training for officers in the States;
Examine and develop current organizational structures to drive community
policing;
Examine and develop the current training and development function;
Develop an intelligence-led policing style, including new technology and
science; and
Examine laws, police processes and procedures.
The Inspector General of Police at the time and the Secretary to the Federal
Government both formally launched the Community Policing Project in Enugu State
in April 2004 and the change of the IGP in early 20055 did not visibly result in any
diminution of support for this effort. The Project Team then commenced a progamme
of multi-rank sensitization workshops for police personnel at federal and state levels
(5000 participants attended these series of workshops) and trained more than 50
Community Policing Developers (CPDs). These CPD officers were then deployed to
targeted divisions in Enugu to launch a programme geared to change attitudes and
behaviours within both police station personnel and surrounding communities. The
report by Stone, Miller, Thornton and Trone (2005) stated that, according to those
involved in the implementation of community policing, support from the Enugu State
governor was one of several examples of increasing government support at the state
and federal levels for police reform in Nigeria. It states that the advocates for the
Community Policing Project included the President, Minister of Police Affairs, the
Police Council, the Police Service Commission, the Senate Committee on Police
Affairs, the Police Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives and the
Nigerian Bar Association.
Following an assessment of the programme in Enugu State, in 2005, the IGP
Sunday Ehindero approved an extension of the community policing pilot to cover five
more states; Benue, Jigawa, Kano, Ondo and Ogun.
A report by Stone, Miller, Thornton and Trone (2005) stated that Nigeria offers
good examples of what has been possible to accomplish in the safety and justice
sectors in a situation where conflict and violence in various forms are a fact of life.
Research commissioned by DFID in 2003 indicated that most Nigerians had no
confidence in the national police (DFID Report, 2003). The respondents said that
whilst they would prefer to have a professional police service, they mostly relied on
informal policing systems whose members often behave as vigilantes. For similar
reasons, the programme emphasized work with traditional justice, alternative dispute
resolution, and lower courts, on which poor people depend.
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The SJG programme then focused its development activities on five key areas in
the States: NPF service delivery, police-community partnerships, accountability of the
NPF, empowerment of NPF personnel, and problem solving. This development
included the appropriate involvement of Nigerias Informal Policing Structures (IPS
Neighbourhoood Watch) in the five key areas.
The Strategy and Philosophy of Community Policing
Community Policing is practiced around the world. It adopts four essential strategies
of responding to the needs and concerns of individuals and communities, consulting
with communities, mobilizing communities, and solving recurring problems. These
strategies are designed to encourage the community to become partners in controlling
and preventing crime.
The study tours of both UK and US policing systems exposed the Project Team
to different perspectives and practices of community policing. Nigerias approach to
community policing was tailored to meet Nigerias socio-cultural and multi-ethnic
background. The Nigerian strategy places the community at the heart of policing. This
presupposes that policing should be based on the constitutional and legal
responsibility of the Police, which is to protect life and property. This most
important responsibility requires the police to respond to the needs of the communities
on the basis of partnership and problem solving between it and the community.
Thus, the programme defines community policing as:
both a philosophy and strategy, that allows the police and the community to
work together in new ways to solve problems of crime, disorder and safety
issues to improve the quality of life for everyone in that community.
The overall objective of this approach was to bring about the following:
Change in police attitude and behaviours so that the police can be humane and
people-friendly;
Rebuild public confidence, trust, and satisfaction in police performance;
Develop an effective partnership approach to tackling crime and disorder;
Improve the capacity of communities to develop solutions too local problems;
Improve the capacity of the police to deliver best quality service to the public;
Create a culture of police service excellence.
The emphasis ensures that communities are involved in identifying the problems
that impact on their quality of life, also that they are involved in planning, proffering
and implementing solutions to these problems. Enforcing the law and fighting crime
remain important elements of policing, but community policing recognizes that, in
reality, most police work is oriented toward non-enforcement tasks such as
maintaining order and providing social services.

A fundamental requirement of community policing is a decentralized

neighbourhood based-structure and close relations with members of the community
(Neighbourhood Policing NP). In brief summary, this requires empowered police
personnel that have geographic ownership and accountability. The IGP and his
command team recognized that community policing and NP enables intelligence-led
targeting of the issues that matter most to communities.
Intelligence-led Policing (ILP) requires the NPF to: interpret the crime and
disorder environment, including potential victims/targets; ensure that police partners
and police staff implement appropriate action plans; and finally, guarantee that those
actions have the require impact on the crime and disorder environment.
Moreover, the NPF has the role of upholding the law, safeguarding justice and
protecting the lives, rights, and dignity of citizens and visitors. It cannot achieve this
gargantuan task without support. Therefore its community policing philosophy was
developed to operate as a key element of a wider, multi-partners Nigeria Community
Safety (CS) Strategy.
Characteristics of Community Policing
Effective community policing will evidence the following key principles:
Policing is both Visible and Accessible
i.
Selected patrol officers are assigned permanently to small areas or zones
(usually called beats) with delegated responsibility for policing that area;
ii. High visibility patrols are conducted, ordinarily on foot, to interact with the
public, gain the confidence and cooperation of citizens, and develop local
knowledge;
iii. The aim of patrol activity is to be preventive and provide pubic reassurance;
iv. Patrolling must therefore be directed and focused on clear objectives, not
aimless and undirected;
v.
The demeanour of patrol officers is such that citizens will feel able to seek
police assistance.
Policing involves Community Consultation, Cooperation and Interdependency
i.
The police participate with the public at large in identifying and prioritizing
community needs;
ii. The police and community work in partnership to devise and implement agreed
solutions to problems;
iii. The community actively engage in the policing role through volunteer
schemes, initiating neighbourhood support networks and augmenting police
patrol activities.

Policing involves Multi-Agency Collaboration

i.
The Police recognize that no statutory (or voluntary) body can make a
meaningful impact on social problems if it acts in isolation disturbances to
public tranquility;
ii. The police liaise and work together with other statutory agencies and voluntary
organizations in addressing crime and other disturbances to public tranquility.
Policing is Essentially Proactive
i. The underlying causes of crime, incidents and public complaints are analysed
and identified;
ii. Rather than simply reacting to the incidence of crime, anti-social behavior and
other sources of public complaint, the police adopt a systematic and integrated
problem-solving approach with a view to reducing and preventing the such
incidents;
iii. Perception and actuality are treated with equal seriousness (e.g. the fear of
crime; public perception of police integrity and competence);
iv. All police personnel and departments are involved in the problem-solving
process, contributing ideas and designing initiatives for more effective policing.
Policing is Accountable
i. Police managers are open and accountable about policies, strategies, operations
and decisions affecting the community;
ii. All police personnel are accountable for their professional and personal
standards and for their treatment of citizens;
iii. Policing effectiveness is monitored, evaluated and open to scrutiny;
iv. Citizens with a grievance against the police have a means of redress.
Policing is about Providing Quality of Service
i. Standards of service delivery are measured;
ii. Testing objectives are set for operational performance and public satisfaction;
iii. The police develop a culture of service excellence.
Community Policing Principles and Values
i. The NPF Community Policing Model is based upon the following key
principles and values:
ii. Relies upon active partnership between the police and the community;
iii. Ensures the police view their primary role as the provision of quality service to
the community.
iv. Entails that the police adopt a problem solving approach to their work;
v. Requires that the Police involve the community in deciding policing priorities

Community policing therefore embraces the following values

i. Respect for and protection of human rights;
ii. Transparency and openness in relation to activities and relationships within and
outside the police organization;
iii. Demonstrable commitment at all times to deliver the best possible service;
iv. Empowerment of all police personnel to make appropriate decisions and
thereby facilitate a speedy delivery of quality service;
v. Willingness to seek for, listen to and act upon public opinion relating to
policing priorities;
vi. Accountability, where the police are properly answerable for what they do, and
citizens with a genuine sense of grievance against the police have an effective
means of redress;
vii. Ensure that citizens with a grievance against the police have effective
communication channels and redress.
Based on the above-mentioned characteristics of Community Policing, the NPF
predicated the implementation was on five elements, which are:
i. Service Delivery: Improving the quality of policing service, including crime
reduction, access to justice and human right
ii. Partnership: Developing strategic partnerships, such as Police Community
Relations Committees (PCRC), community based organizations, local
authorities to improve police services. This is also in recognition that police
services are better delivered in partnership.
iii. Problem Solving: A good partnership provides the platform for problem
solving. This involves finding joint sustainable solutions to crime and disorder
problems;
iv. Empowerment: Empowering communities to be part of dealing with problems
affecting their safety creates a sense of ownership. This also requires
developing a management style that empowers officers to tackle issues locally.
Empowerment reduces administration, aids problem solving and improves
accountability;
v. Accountability: Community policing establishes direct accountability between
the community and the police at a local level as a result of the partnership. On
the one hand, accountability rests on the transparency of the police and, on the
other hand, on the responsibility of the community to assist the police in
preventing and combating crime and disorder. There is, therefore, a joint
responsibility and a joint accountability.

Recommendations of the Police Reform Committee

In 2008, the Federal Government set up the Presidential Committee on Police Reform
headed by MD Yusuf a former Inspector General of Police. The Committee held
extensive discussions and consultations with the public and civil society
organizations. It was clear to the Committee that the public was dissatisfied with the
performance of the police, and that what they wanted was a police that was responsive
to their needs and concerns. It was clear that a fundamental transformation of the
culture and attitudes of the police was required. The Committee thereafter made
recommendations on the need to adopt community policing as a national policing
philosophy and strategy.
Recommendation 5.26 (i-iv) of the Government White Paper on the Report of the
Presidential Committee on Police Reform (April, 2008) clearly articulates the basic
parameters for the implementation of Community Policing in Nigeria. It states that,
(i) There is need to adapt community policing to suit Nigerias peculiarities.
Government should formulate a Community Policing Policy and Framework for the
country, taking into account our cultural and political environment.
Full compliance with this recommendation is in progress with the support of
the Ministry of Police Affairs. Both the Ministry and NPF are working to develop a
Community Policing Policy and Framework. However, that a successful transition
from philosophy to operational practice calls for fundamental changes in the structure
and culture of the Nigeria police.
The report further requests that, (ii) all police officers should undergo training
in the basic philosophy and practice of community policing. Substantial progress has
also been made in this direction with more than a hundred thousand police officers
sensitized while many have undergone one form of training or the other in all ranks
covering senior officers, divisional managers, beat duty officers, divisional
intelligence officers etc.
(iii) The principle of community policing should be included in the curricular
of all police training institutions. The concept of community policing has already
been included in the new police training curricular.
The Reform also defined community policing as a straightforward concept of
shared responsibility between the police and the community with a focus on provision
off efficient and effective service.
Government therefore accepted the recommendation that, (iv) The police
should establish effective police-community linkages from the lowest to the highest
levels to ensure the implementation of crime prevention strategies and policing
priorities of the various communities. The inference infers the police participating in
the community and responding to the needs of that community, and the community
participating in its policing and supporting the police. One of the main enablers of

public partnership is the development and strengthening of Police Community

Relations Committees (PCRC) and various Neighbourhood Watch schemes (Vigilante
groups). In this regard, extensive Stakeholder Conferences have been held in all states
too strengthen Police-Community partnerships.
Achievements and Challenges
The successes and challenges in the implementation of community policing are
detailed below. Various achievements have been recorded; the most important being
the development of partnerships between the police and communities, increased
community involvement and interagency collaborations with key stakeholders.
i. Federal
The establishment of a Community Policing Office within F Department at
Headquarters and the replication of that in all State Commands reflect the
commitment of the NPF to work with, care for and protect the communities it serves.
The Community Police Office has thirty-seven (37) community policing
officers/trainers spread in all the State commands.
The F Department is currently planning restructuring and development
activities to ensure the sustainability and institutionalization of community policing
and effective service delivery for the entire Force. However, the strategic interest of
the Force is not only in restructuring, but to develop the necessary skills, competences,
attitudes and behavior of police officers. Changing the current policing culture of
militaristic conditioning, hierarchical rigidity, lack of empowerment and siege
mentality and defensiveness is fundamental to the successful implementation of
community policing. The Inspector General of Police has consistently supported this
attitudinal change as a means of ensuring that the negative perception of the Force,
including the commonly held view that individual police officers are ineffective,
corrupt and brutal changed.
ii. State Level
Community Policing is making a real difference in our State, we are more proactive.
We anticipate problems or conflict, then travel to speak with those who may be
involved, whatever the time of day. On each occasion the problem has not
manifested. (State Commissioner of Police, Kaduna, several months after strategic
management training in Jos.
All State Commands now have functional Community Policing Offices staffed
with trained and experienced personnel, supporting and assisting in the development
of various aspects of community policing principles, particularly partnerships,
problem solving and intelligence led policing. There has been increased level of

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partnerships developed at strategic levels with other safety and security agencies,
government and local authorities, business community etc.
All the state commissioners of police have received training and workplace
support in strategic management, integrated management planning and all aspects of
community policing. Independent monitoring visits to states have shown a variety of
workplace successes, such as improved police-community relations and active
partnerships.
iii.

Divisional Level

Until community policing we had to sleep with one eye open. Now we can sleep with
both eyes shut. We pray that all of Nigeria adopts this system! (Community member
Gwagwalada, Nigeria).
Community Policing has been introduced to all the States of the Federation.
However, Police Divisions have been one of the key foci of the implementation
process, with massive sensitization and awareness campaigns mounted for both police
and communities by the Community Policing Team. Moreover, existing divisional
management structures have been developed, through training programmes, to
accommodate community policing principles and practices.
The concept of Neighbourhood Policing with Dedicated Policing Teams (DPT)
to manage micro-beats has been introduced and the following personnel structures
have been established as primary drivers of improved service delivery:
Community Policing Developers (CPD)
Community Safety Officers (CSPs)
Human Rights Officers (HROs)
Community Policing Officers (CPOs)
Neighbourhood Watch Support Officers (NWSOs)
Divisional Intelligence Officers (DIOs)
Conflict Resolution Officers (CROs)]
The majority of these structures are in various stages of evolution. However,
independent and internal reviews have recorded good progress.
Divisional Managers have wide discretionary powers concerning tactical and
operational issues affecting their divisions. However, because of the traditional,
hierarchical nature of micro-managing police stations, very little input is sought from
subordinates and the communities they police. To combat this, Divisional
Management Teams have been trained in democratic policing principles, community
policing, management and leadership techniques, delegation, performance
measurement, performance management, action planning, partnerships, problem
solving techniques, accountability, police ethics and intelligence-led policing.

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Additionally, the F Department training teams provide support and mentoring posttrained to ensure maximum transference oof learning to the participants division.
Extensive sensitization and awareness campaigns have been conducted for
members of the public targeting Police Community Relations Committees (PCRCs),
neighbourhood watch groups, the media, National Union of Road Transport Workers,
market associations, motorcycle taxi riders, parents-teachers association, community
leaders and government agencies dealing with safety and security issues.
The concept of problem solving is now extensively utilized by police officers
and their partners to deal with issues affecting their environments. The problem
solving approach adopts a proactive approach, while at the same time preserving the
traditional practices. This process follows four-structured system of (a) discovery of
recurrent problems, (b) analysis of the root causes of these problems, (c) developing
programmes of remediation, and (d) assessment of the success of the remedial
programmes. This strategic approach is famously called SARA, for scanning,
analysing, responding, and assessment.
Initiatives to get young people involved in community policing activities have
been organized, enabling them to play a key role in bringing about safety for their
communities.
Relationships with Voluntary Policing Systems (Neighbourhood Watch) have
also been developed or improved in many of the divisions, as commented on by
independent observers in Gwagwalada Division. There are improved informal
policing activities and joint patrols between neighbourhood watch groups and the
police.
In Gwaram, we had much trouble with the theft of our animals but the police,
traditional leaders and market traders came together to stop this problem. The thefts
have almost stopped now because there is nowhere for the thieves to hide or sell their
goods some have even changed their hearts and do not want to do it any more out of
respect for the elders. I thank our police for this very much
Community member, Gwaram (February 2010).
Police Divisions have also witnessed an increase in the number of incidents
reported to the police and dealt with. As the public feel more confident to report
criminal incidents, the police have been able to deal more effectively with these cases
and provide feedback to the community on the steps taken and progress made.
These activities have encouraged increased collaboration and consultation
between the police and communities in various aspects of service delivery and
community concerns. For example, the Enugu State Government enacted a law on
neighbourhood associations and watch groups to support community policing and
strengthen existing relationships. This led to increased numbers of new
neighbourhood associations and watch groups coming into existence and old ones
being rejuvenated.

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Specific Strategic Achievements

The Divisional Management Team (DMT) Course has been extended to four
weeks-two modules of two weeks each in between three weeks of workplace
assignment. The DMT members are required to implement some of their learning in
their divisions between the two Modules. During the second Module, they present the
successes and challenges of their implementation to their colleagues and tutors for
feedback and further development. To date more thank four hundred Divisional Police
Officers (DPOs) have been trained. The Institute of Leadership and Management, UK,
has accredited this training and at the end of each training, participants are offered
Certificates in Advanced Management and Leadership.
Our DPO was so against community policing. She would not entertain any change
and was apathetic to it. Since she came back from her advanced DMT course, she is a
changed woman! We cannot keep up with her and all her initiatives to work with the
community and implement problem oriented policing.
DSP Joseph Udoh, Community Policing Officer.
Training was conducted for commissioners of police in Lagos, Jos and Calabar
in line with the IGP approved plan for improving the capacity of senior police
management on strategic and change management. This saw the police commissioners
responding positively to the improvements demanded by the IGP regarding strategic
planning and organizational improvement. Some of the commissioners were supported
by the Community Policing Officers to develop their policing plans. This process
initiated a sustainability process as well the embedding of community policing and
other best practices in the Nigeria Police.
Intelligence-led Policing (ILP) pilots have been introduced in 50 police
divisions across Lagos, FCT, Kano, Kaduna, Calabar, Bauchi, Kano, Benue, Jigawa,
Ogun and Ondo. Divisional Intelligence Officers (DIOs) were trained in the concepts
and processes of IILP and have been able to transfer that learning to their divisions.
This has led the police to re-strategies the fight against crime in these areas with
appreciable success.
Beat duty skills training has been extended to about fifty thousand (50,000)
police officers in all police stations.
I am putting into practice all I have learnt during my beat patrol course. It has
helped me and I am happy because I can touch peoples lives, especially the less
privileged members of society.
PC Queen Ejike, New Owerri Police Division, Imo State.
As described in the introduction, the Community Policing philosophy is being
developed to operate as key element of a wider, multi-partners Nigeria Community

13

Safety (CS) Strategy. In pursuit of this goal, Community Safety Partnerships have
been introduced in all pilot police division. This is in consonance with the principal of
democratic policing as citizens are now involved in community issues affecting their
quality of life. The senior representatives involved from local government, police,
the communities and many other key agencies have made a commitment to work
together in the future to gain a full understanding of the local safety issues that affect
their communities and work in a partnership to resolve them.
The NPF has also witnessed an improved engagement with informal policing
service (IPS), as they are presently being consulted, briefed and involved in activities
at police stations. Many of these IPS have been fully occupied in joint activities
including training events, beat patrols and problem solving.
It now means something to be a vigilante in Gwagwalada, we are trained and
supported by the police and our leaders. We all feel good and proud to be involved in
the new Nigeria Police Service because their hearts have changed you understand?
their hearts have changed.
Vigilante member, Gwagalada, FCT
Challenges
Despite the encouraging level of successes recorded, the programme is experiencing a
number of challenges. Public trust in the police is still low. Police reform will mean
changing the way effective policing services are delivered. Despites these, relations
between the police and the public have improved tremendously since the introduction
of Community Policing.
These challenges include:
Lack of a National Policy: The lack of a strategic national policy on community
policing, with guidelines and implementation mechanism has been a challenge
in expanding to other states. The lack of a national policy has created confusion
as to what the concept actually means in practice. Many police officers do not
see community policing as a policing philosophy and strategy but as an add-on
to police work;
Capacity gaps: Whilst the skills and capacity of many police
officers has
been improved, much more needs to be done to sustain the reform and achieve
critical mass. So many police officers, state government s and communities
have indicated interest in community policing activities, but a lack of local
police capacity makes it difficult to meet these expectations;
Incessant transfers: Difficulties in retaining officers trained in police stations
for a period of time to allow full utilization of skills and knowledge acquired
for implementing community policing programmes. Officers have been trained
to play a role in this programme only to be transferred to other duties. This is

14

particularly damaging in a context where human and material resources are

overstretced, and has an adverse effect on the continuity, effectiveness and
sustainability of the programme. It can moreover undermine trust and
confidence, since work put into building relationships has to start all over
again;
Institutional resistance to change: There is still a widespread lack of
understanding about, and full commitment to, reform by some police officers.
Law wages, poor working conditions and terms of employment continue to
have a negative effect on police morale;
Resource limitations and weak structures: Whilst the expectations of
communities are high, community policing has not been very well funded to
allow for quick spread. There are also lack of operational tools and guidelines
for effective service delivery at divisional levels. Weak divisional structures
and lack of clearly defined roles and responsibilities at divisional levels also
hinder effective implementation;
Low public trust in the police: Despite moves to introduce and publicise
community policing, a legacy of suspicion and mistrust between police and
communities hampers efforts to build relationships between the police and
general public.
Lessons Learnt
The main lessons learnt from this programme are:
i. Partnership development between the police and communities: The
Community Policing programme has demonstrate the importance of policecommunity initiatives especially at local levels. The piloting of Community
Safety Partnership in Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory has
informed the process of developing a national strategy for crime prevention and
community safety, by providing appropriate methodologies and grass-roots
structures drawn from the communities. The pilot sites have provided a
laboratory in which to test and refine police options.
ii. Building capacity for divisional mangers: A key component in the training
component of community policing has being the development of leadership and
management capacity of divisional manager. It is particularly important to
strengthen capacity to manage change and institutional reform through, for
example, coaching and training for senior police officers. The outcome has
been leadership and ownership of the reform agenda, which is helping to make
the police services more transparent, adaptable, participative and consultative.
iii. Capacity development for stakeholders: Series of stakeholder workshops has
proved the importance of problem solving capacity of stakeholders.

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iv.

v.

Ownership and participation is crucial: The involvement of community

leaders in the implementation of community policing, the identification of local
problems and joint problem solving has contributed significantly to local
ownership and support. The establishment of the Department of Community
Policing in the Ministry of Police Affairs has further strengthened government
commitment to the programme. And with the programme being led by the
Inspector General of Police, there has been a sense of ownership at all levels.
Civil society has a broad and vital role in security sector reform: The role
of civil society organizations in the community policing programme has shown
the critical and central role they can play in security sector reform. Civil society
organisations contribution is often seen as primarily about raising awareness in
local communities, but the Nigerian experience has shown the value of a much
broader engagement.

Summary and Conclusion

The Nigeria Police is on a positive march as it strives to serve democratic and
humanitarian ideals, given the nations drive towards an enduring democratic culture
through the adoption and application of Community Policing.
However, all those involved in Community Policing recognize that it is part of
a major democratization and modernization process for Nigeria, which will take years
to complete. But the indicators abound that wherever the philosophy, strategy and
tenets of Community Policing have been implemented; the following has occurred:
i. Service delivery improves;
ii. Partnership working increases due to increased trust, confidence and
communication between the community and the police. Police accountability to
the community is improved through mechanisms for addressing complaints;
iii. Joint problem-solving activities take place as safety and security issues become
everybodys business and not just the police;
iv. Officers and community members are empowered as it enables community to
have a say in safety and security issues in their community;
v. Encouraging networking, constructive social relations and greater cohesion
within the community;
vi. Building of safer communities leading to enhanced economic development;
vii. Reduction in crime and fear of crime;
It is imperative, therefore, that the leadership of the Force and the Ministry of Police
Affairs support this process, not simply through the provision of activities and
resources, but by being Champions of Community Policing.

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