Community Policing and Its Role in Promoting Human Security: The Case of Dire-Dawa City Administration
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Date
2019-06
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Addis Ababa University,
Abstract
Community policing is a strategy which aims at solving community problems related to physical
security by the engagement of the society. The main purpose of the study is to assess the role of
community policing in human security in Dire Dawa City Administration (DDCA). To this end,
this study employed a mixed case study research approach to examine the role of community
policing in the prevention and reduction of crime as well as reversing security threat of the local
communities. The data were collected through in-depth interviews, document review, and Focus
Group Discussion as well as personal observation, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The
participants of this study were selected purposefully based on their experience and active
engagement in the implementation of community policing. The result of this study reveals that
the implementation of community policing in DDCA plays a crucial role in promoting physical
security by preventing and reducing crime and individual security threats. In identifying security
problems, both the local community and police engage in accordance with the values of
community policing. Moreover, it is featured by accessible, community-oriented and
participatory approach. Lack of manpower, shortage of office equipment‟s and assignment of
officers beyond their responsibility were identified as problems in the study areas. Therefore, the
DDPC should focus on restructuring community policing to incorporate elements of human
security in community policing services and support the structure with full equipment and other
accessories and also other NGOs and academic institution have to support it.
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Keywords
Dire Dawa, Community Policing, Human Security, Physical Security.