Forming communications networks between civilian government agencies and police departments -- Community-policing.

Police and the community--COP program.

M. Tech. Policing / Since the advent of democratic dispensation in South Africa, domestic violence is one of the societal issues that have increasingly emerged as a local as well as global concern. This study focused on analysing the prevalence of, and responses to domestic violence in the Lebowakgomo, Magatle and Zebediela policing areas of Limpopo Province, with the aim of the aim of investigating and evaluating perceptions by the police and community members regarding the prevalence of the domestic violence, and how the police responds towards policing domestic violence at the Lebowakgomo, Magatle and Zebediela policing area.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Domestic violence is one of the most prevalent forms of violence that police officials encounter on a daily basis. The effects of domestic violence are far-reaching and long-lasting. Globally, the police function as “gatekeepers” in terms of domestic violence victims’ access to the criminal justice system. Intervening in domestic violence has become a controversial process, as domestic violence is a very complex issue, which has been compounded by misunderstandings, stereotyping and myths. Since 1998, police officials in the South African Police Service (SAPS) are expected to promote redress and prevent crimes against women and children through multifaceted approaches, including the building of trust between police officials and citizens. Research reports indicate that victims of domestic violence are hesitant to approach SAPS for assistance, for various reasons. Police officers’ personal experiences of policing domestic violence are however largely unexplored. Consequently, the goal of this research was to gain insight into the experiences and perceptions of frontline police officials, who have to provide maximum protection to victims of domestic abuse in terms of the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998. To achieve the goal and objectives of the study, a combination approach was followed, in which the qualitative research approach dominated and the quantitative approach was applied to a lesser degree. An exploratory study guided by a literature review and a phenomenological approach was conducted at seven (7) police stations in the Western Cape Province. Twenty-eight (28) frontline police officials’ subjective experiences and perceptions of their policing of domestic violence were determined through in-depth interviews based on a questionnaire. Data were analysed by means of thematic analysis, and presented as narratives focusing on four major themes relating to the phenomenon under investigation. The conclusions drawn from the study indicated that the pervasive police culture, lack of insight by some police officials, and their continuous adherence to an outdated concept of domestic violence contribute to the weakening implementation of current domestic violence legislation, leaving police officials frustrated, hopeless and powerless to effect real change. The overall finding of the study is that, in practice, little has changed because of inconsistencies in the actions of the police and society as a whole in rejecting and condemning the brutalisation and intimidation of women and children. What is most unfortunate, however, is that SAPS has yet to accord the same weight to domestic violence in practice as it does to other violent crimes. In order for law enforcement to be effective, law reforms need to be accompanied by fundamental changes in attitudes, values and behaviours on the part of SAPS and all relevant role players, including the communities SAPS serves. The study concludes with recommendations on how to improve police officials’ ability to provide maximum protection to victims of domestic violence, as well as to provide programme developers and policy makers in SAPS with information on which to base policy decisions regarding training interventions and national instructions aimed at the policing of domestic violence. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Huishoudelike geweld is een van die algemeenste vorme van geweld wat polisiebeamptes daagliks teëkom. Die gevolge van huishoudelike geweld is verreikend en langdurig. Wêreldwyd dien die polisie as “hekwagters” wat slagoffers van huishoudelike geweld se toegang tot die strafregstelsel betref. Ingryping in huishoudelike geweld is deesdae ’n omstrede proses, want huishoudelike geweld is ’n uiters komplekse saak wat deur misverstande, stereotipering en mites vererger word. Sedert 1998 word daar van polisiebeamptes in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD) verwag om deur middel van meervlakkige benaderings, onder meer die opbou van vertroue tussen polisiebeamptes en burgers, herstel te bevorder en misdaad teen vroue en kinders te voorkom. Navorsingsverslae toon dat die slagoffers van huishoudelike geweld om verskeie redes huiwerig is om die SAPD om hulp te nader. Tog is navorsing oor polisiebeamptes se persoonlike ervarings van die polisiëring van huishoudelike geweld baie skaars. Hierdie navorsing was dus daarop toegespits om insig te bekom in die ervarings en opvattings van frontlinie-polisiebeamptes, wat ingevolge die Wet op Huishoudelike Geweld 116 van 1998 maksimum beskerming aan slagoffers van huishoudelike geweld moet bied. Om die doel en oogmerke van die studie te bereik, is ’n kombinasie benadering gevolg waarin die kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering hoofsaaklik, en die kwantitatiewe benadering in ’n mindere mate, toegepas is. ’n Ondersoekende studie is aan die hand van ’n literatuuroorsig en ’n fenomenologiese benadering by sewe (7) polisiestasies in die provinsie Wes-Kaap onderneem. Agten- twintig (28) frontlinie-polisiebeamptes se subjektiewe ervarings van, en opvattings oor, hul polisiëring van huishoudelike geweld is deur middel van diepte-onderhoude op grond van ’n vraelys bepaal. Data is met behulp van tematiese analise ontleed en word aangebied as narratiewe wat oor vier hooftemas met betrekking tot die studieonderwerp handel. Die gevolgtrekkings van die studie doen aan die hand dat die heersende polisiekultuur, sommige polisiebeamptes se gebrek aan insig, en hul voortgesette navolging van ’n verouderde konsep van huishoudelike geweld tot die al hoe swakker toepassing van huidige wetgewing oor huishoudelike geweld lei. Dít laat polisiebeamptes gefrustreerd, moedeloos en magteloos om werklike verandering teweeg te bring. Die algehele bevinding van die studie is dat weinig in die praktyk verander het weens teenstrydigheid in die optrede van die polisie en die samelewing in die geheel om geweld en intimidasie teenoor vroue en kinders te verwerp en te veroordeel. Straks méér betreurenswaardig is dat die SAPD nog nie in die praktyk dieselfde gewig aan huishoudelike geweld as aan ander geweldsmisdade heg nie. Wetstoepassing sal slegs doeltreffend wees indien regshervorming gepaardgaan met grondliggende veranderinge in houdings, waardes en gedrag deur die SAPD en alle tersaaklike rolspelers, met inbegrip van die gemeenskappe wat deur die SAPD bedien word. Die studie sluit af met aanbevelings oor hoe polisiebeamptes beter in staat gestel kan word om maksimum beskerming aan die slagoffers van huishoudelike geweld te bied, en oor die bemagtiging van programontwikkelaars en beleidskrywers in die SAPD met inligting as grondslag vir beleidsbesluite oor opleidingsintervensies en nasionale instruksies rakende die polisiëring van huishoudelike geweld.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sector Policing is understood to be a relatively new community-based policing approach that finds its initial mandate in the National Instruction 3 of 2009, of the South African Police Service (SAPS). This said National Instruction states that community participation and partnership policing can be promoted through Sector Policing. The mandate for the implementation of the principle of Sector Policing also flows from section 205 (3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The significant part of this study is that it provoked an interest in Sector Policing, both within the SAPS and the community; and it attracted a large number of participants. The IAP2 Public Participation Model regarding community participation as discussed by Theron, Ceaser and Davids (2007:8), adapted from the International Association for Public Participation (2007) can play an important role in the implementation of Sector Policing. Sector Policing has been found to fail where there is no community participation or multi-organisational partnerships. The study focused on the Limpopo Province in order to encourage the effective implementation of Sector Policing in rural areas. The study targeted twelve (12) stations out of ninety five (95) police stations found in all the five (5) districts of the Limpopo Province in order to cover a wider policing spectrum, and ensure a representative sample. The study has found that Sector Policing could be better implemented if the project management approach can be adopted in order to carry out work in terms of timeframes, and ensure monitoring as demonstrated in Chapter 5 (Figure 5.2). The study recommended the introduction of implementation teams to oversee the implementation of Sector Policing at provincial, cluster and station levels. A quarterly multi-organisational forum has been proposed to ensure sustainable community participation. Community participation in policing is entrenched in sections 18 to 23 of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act 68 of 1995), the White Paper on Safety and Security (1998) and the National Crime Prevention Strategy (1996). The most recent community participation model, especially category C (levels 7-9), which is positioned to empower the community as “the influencer, director, controller and owner” of both decision-making processes is also recommended as a vehicle for effective community participation in Sector Policing (Gwala Participation Model). Monitoring, evaluation and feedback have been identified as effective tools to ensure the effective implementation of Sector Policing, which is currently lacking. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sektorpolisiëring blyk ‘n relatief nuwe gemeenskapsgebaseerde polisiebenadering te wees wat sy aanvanklike mandaat in Nasionale Instruksie 3 van 2009 van die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD) vind. Die vermelde nasionale instruksie stel dit duidelik dat gemeenskapsdeelname en vennootskapspolisiëring deur Sektorpolisiëring bevorder kan word. Die mandaat vir die implementering van die beginsel van Sektorpolisiëring spruit ook uit onderafdeling 205 (3) van die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika (1996). Die beduidende deel van hierdie studie is dat dit belangstelling in Sektorpolisiëring ontlok het, beide binne die SAPD en die gemeenskap, en dit het ook ‘n groot aantal deelnemers gelok. Die IAP2 openbare deelnamemodel met betrekking tot gemeenskapsdeelname, soos bespreek deur Theron, Ceaser en Davids (2007:8), wat van die Internasionale Vereniging rakende Openbare Deelname (2006) aangepas is, kan ‘n belangrike rol vertolk in die implementering van Sektorpolisiëring. Daar is bevind dat Sektorpolisiëring ‘n mislukking blyk te wees wanneer gemeenskapsdeelname of multi-organisatoriese vennootskappe afwesig is. Die studie is gerig op die Limpopo Provinsie ten einde die doeltreffende implementering van Sektorpolisiëring in plattelandse gebiede aan te moedig. Die studie het gesentreer op twaalf (12) polisiestasies uit die vyf en negentig (95) wat in die vyf (5) distrikte van die Limpopo Provinsie bestaan ten einde ‘n breër polisiëringspektrum te dek en om ‘n verteenwoordigende monster te verseker. Die studie het bevind dat Sektorpolisiëring beter geïmplementeer sou kon word indien die projekbestuurbenadering toegepas word, so dat werk in terme van tydsraamwerke uitgevoer kan word, en monitering te kan verseker soos in Hoofstuk 5 (Figuur 5.2) gedemonstreer is. Die studie het die aanbeveling gedoen dat implementeringspanne ingestel word om toesig te hou oor die implementering van Sektorpolisiëring op provinsiale, groep- en stasievlak. ‘n Kwartaallikse multi-organisatoriese forum is voorgestel om volhoubare gemeenskapsdeelname te verseker. Gemeenskapsdeelname in polisiëring is verskans in onderafdelings 18 tot 23 van die Suid Afrikaanse Polisiedienswet, 1995 (Wet 68 van 1995), die Witskrif oor Veiligheid en Sekuriteit (1998) en die Nasionale Misdaadvoorkomingstrategie (1996). Die mees onlangse gemeenskapsdeelnamemodel, veral kategorie C (vlakke 7-9 ) wat geposisioneer is om die gemeenskap te bemagtig as “die beinvloeder, direkteur, beheerder en eienaar” van besluitnemingsprosesse, word ook as ‘n middel vir doeltreffende deelname aan Sektorpolisiering aanbeveel (Gwala deelnamemodel). Monitering, evaluering en terugvoer is geidentifiseer as doeltreffende wyses om die effektiewe implementering van Sektorpolisiering te verseker, en dat dit juis die` is wat op die’ oomblik ontbreek.

There is increasing concern in news media sources regarding police killings of unarmed Black males. However, there is limited research on the portrayal of such incidents in the news and the implications for police-community relations in African- American communities. In order to address this gap, this study analyzed 120 experts’ quotes provided by two of the largest and most respected newspapers in the United States -- the New York Times and USA Today. This research comprised a content analysis of quotes related to the deaths of Eric Garner (Staten Island, New York), Michael Brown (Ferguson, Missouri), and Freddie Gray (Baltimore City, Maryland). A number of factors are discussed: The news organization’s predominate category and specialty of experts selected; whether the experts’ quotes attributed to pro-police or community bias; if the experts’ quotes discussed social or racial inequalities in the cities selected; whether the experts addressed evidence-based strategies necessary to improve police-community relations in the Black community, and whether experts’ quotes discussed solutions to improve police and community relations in the Black community. The findings suggest that the selected national news sources, in the one year following the deaths of each of the unarmed victims, highlighted quotes from state manager, particularly politicians, at a much higher rate than intellectuals. Although revealing a substantial level of procommunity bias, the quotes presented very little regarding evidence-based strategies for improving police-community relations in the Black community and reducing the number of unarmed deaths caused by police. The implications for research on media and crime as well as policing strategies are discussed. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

There has been a significant amount of attention refocused on problems surrounding police and communities of color. The most consistent remedy identified has been reforming police departments, which is an organizational-level solution. However, only minimal strides have been made in empirical research to understand the organizational correlates associated with police-community relations. Thus, this research investigated the impact that police departments’ organizational and managerial characteristics have on police-community relations. The key contributions of this research to the literature are three-fold. First, a composite indicator of police-community relations was developed by compiling a large nationwide dataset of local police-departments. This multidimensional indicator includes citizen complaints, police use of force, assaults against police officers, and civilian deaths by police. Second, the role that specific organizational characteristics—community-oriented policing, passive representation, professionalism, and control mechanisms—have on police-community relations was estimated using ordinary least squares regression analyses from over 250 police departments. The findings portrayed that only specific (and very few) organizational and managerial characteristics of police departments impact police-community relations. Specifically, police departments that had formal partnerships with the community, dedicated beat patrol officers, and minority representation were found to have lower levels of use of force. Police departments with higher numbers of officers dedicated to problem-solving activities in the community had lower levels of citizen complaints; in contrast, departments that were more formalized had higher levels of citizen complaints. Lastly, to understand the causal mechanisms undergirding organizational factors and police-community relations, an in-depth case study was conducted in Hartford, Connecticut. The case study included (a) 88 interviews with police officers, public officials, and community leaders, (b) 67.7 hours of participant observations, and (c) a review of secondary sources. A thematic content analysis of the data underscored the importance of police departments cultivating soft skills, investing in human resources, and being intentional about engaging the community. Specifically, police departments can influence police-community relations by impacting the level and quality of service provision and/or officer attitudes and behavior. Taken as a whole, this study adds to the knowledge base of organizational behavior, public management, and policing studies while also providing implications for policy and practice.

published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

In any country where there are informal settlements, crime prevention and combat is, to a great extent, determined by the availability of reliable information about crime and about the physical environment in which it occurs. Of equal importance in reducing crime is accurate reporting on the behalf of the public and accurate mapping of crime incidences on the part of the police. Informality makes such information gathering, reporting and mapping extremely challenging. Street level geocoding match rates are lower in informal settlements areas compared to formal urban areas, due to the fact that these areas are unplanned without any road networks or proper address points. To determine the success or otherwise of measures taken to control crime in informal settlements, it is necessary for a system to be in operation whereby crime can be geocoded to a specific location. The integration of community local knowledge with Geographic Information Systems can help populate urban-based geospatial databases for informal settlement crime mapping, and a mental mapping exercise can contribute by the identification of landmarks which can be geocoded. The aim of this research was to establish how community understandings and constructions of their local geography can contribute to ‘official’ police crime mapping and, consequently, to the improvement of policing in informal settlements. In order to achieve this research objective, community ‘mind maps’ were explored through focus groups and these were correlated with police geocoding and mapping systems. The aim here was to explore whether and how these systems can work together in dealing more effectively with crime and in enhancing police-community relations in informal settlement areas. A key finding of this research was that, coming together or integration between community generated mapping information and conventional GIS methodologies, has the potential to completely transform the way in which informal settlements crimes are mapped. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

This study aims to analyze actions of conduct by law enforcement authorities against segments of the Bahian population between the years 1900 and 1920, besides highlighting the different forms of reaction against these same practices that society considered abusive. For this it was necessary to understand the universe of police activity, observing their daily actions to combat crime, and show under what conditions was done police work and what it meant to be a cop, both economically, and socially in the period investigated. The soldiers crowded the ranks of the corporation had a popular origin, which meant that the agents can order carregassem habits and customs that often clashed with the ideals of modernity and civility rendered by the ruling classes of the time. / O presente trabalho tem por objetivo analisar ações de conduta por parte das autoridades policiais contra seguimentos da população baiana, entre os anos de 1900 e 1920, além de evidenciar as diferentes formas de reação contra essas mesmas práticas que a sociedade considerava abusivas. Para isso, foi necessário compreender o universo da atividade policial, observando suas ações cotidianas de combate à criminalidade, bem como mostrar sobre quais condições era feito o trabalho policial e o que significava ser policial, tanto do ponto de vista econômico, quanto social no período investigado. Os soldados lotados nas fileiras da corporação possuíam uma origem popular, a qual fazia com que os agentes da ordem carregassem consigo hábitos e costumes que, muitas vezes, se chocavam com os ideais de modernidade e civilidade proferidos pelas classes dominantes da época.