The Role of Community Policing in Crime Prevention in Debre Tabor Town, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

This study is aimed at investigating the role of community policing in Debra Tabor Town. For this study, mixed research methods were employed to complement each other by overcoming possible shortcomings. The qualitative and quantitative data were collected, analyzed and discussed concurrently and systematically. Qualitative data were gathered by using semistructured interview and Focus group discussions (FGDs).

For this reason, purposive sampling

technique

has been employed to get deep understanding of the study. On the other hand, the quantitative data was collected using surrey supported through standard questionnaire. For this matter, systematic random sampling Technique has been used. Totally 267 participants were selected for both qualitative and quantitative data collection. In this case 8respondents for interview and 14 discussants for FGDs totally 22 participants were selected from the total of 267participants.Because these 22 participants were repeatedly participated in quantitative data collection process. All the collected data were presented by using tables and graphs coupled with narration. The quantitative data analyses were supported by SPSS statistics computer program; correlation and ordinal regression. Accordingly, findings of this study showed that, police officers create and strength cooperation with community and participating in different social affairs. The police officers have a close relationship with community selected committees and the majority of residents (83%) of participants reported there has been a practice of community policing service to minimize the impact of crime. According to the inferential statically analysis, the proportional odds assumption appears to have hold because the significance of our Chi-Square statistic is 1.00>0 .05 and therefore, the community participation in crime prevention activities with police officers were significant variables for the practice of crime prevention in the selected kebeles of the town because the significance test (p- value) for each variable is less than the standard test i.e. 0.05. Although, the community policing has implications on crime prevention, there are community, police and organization related barriers that hider its completion. Based on these results, various social work implications are proposed.