Government Efforts Towards a People Centered Community Policing System in Zimbabwe: A Case Study of Chitungwiza

Abstract

The study analyzed government efforts towards a people centered community policing system in Zimbabwe. Community policing was established in Zimbabwe as a ZRP organizational transformative course of action from a minority oriented service to a majority and people centered approach in policing, in the late 1980s. This study looks at community policing programs put in place to address the crime and conflict situation in Chitungwiza Policing District. The program has had external variables that supported its successfulness. They include; the police who have been at the centre and in practice, the NGOs, the CSOs, the Human Rights Organizations, the Family, Religious Organizations and the local councils that had been supported by the people. At the end, the study reveals the implementation challenges of community policing in Chitungwiza. Qualitative techniques of research methods were employed in the study. Purposive interviews were engaged to collect data from respondents. The information collected was organized accordingly in order to formulate meaningful presentation, conclusions and recommendations of the research. The study revealed that Zimbabwe has gone far in transforming the ZRP through Community Policing. Some community policing programs are in place, yet very little has been done by the government of Zimbabwe in mobilizing resources towards Community Policing. As such the findings of the study noted that community policing programs such as cycle patrols; motorized patrols; community relations liaison officers; junior call; neighborhood watch committees; home officer schemes; suggestion boxes and hotlines; crime consultative committees; police constabulary; business against crime; construction of bases, posts and reporting centers; and handling of complaints are in place, in a bid to build a people centered community policing system in Zimbabwe. The study presents that the residents of Chitungwiza are in partnership with police in neighborhood problem solving as suggested by their involvement in Community Policing through the role of Local Councils, the Family, the NGOs and CSOs; and Religious Organizations. Inadequate transport and communication, incredibly few vehicles to Chitungwiza District, lack of fuel, lack of the money, incorporate members of the public, insufficient manpower, and unprofessionalism of police officers challenge the implementation. In order to make it more successful, the researcher recommends that the success of the government in empowering the Police with resources to implement community policing is important for the success of the program. Furthermore, government should have a human rights training policy in the recruitment training curriculum. Finally, the study recommends the decentralization of decision making and employment of an inter-agency approach in policing as necessary. This will be helpful addressing evident gaps between policy and implementation.