Most Kenyans feel safe in their communities, while about 43 per cent perceive their communities as unsafe, a report by the National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) says.

Perceptions and feelings of insecurity in the localities were attributed to, among others, rampant crimes in the localities; police unresponsiveness to distress calls and reported crimes; and corruption among rogue police officers.

Other factors include a rise in illicit alcohol, drug and substance abuse; a lack of security infrastructure like streetlights; a rise in criminal gangs; and fear of retaliation from criminal gangs.

The study titled The Impact of Community Policing in Kenya also revealed that community policing initiatives and activities had resulted into reduction in fear of crime (66 percent); better understanding of local community needs (55 percent); increased public awareness of security and crime issues (54 percent); and improved crime prevention and detection (50 percent).

Petty offences

It had also led to the promotion of the resolution of petty offences through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and reduced drug abuse and criminal activities among youth.

According to NCRC, community policing has also enhanced cooperation between police and the community by improved reporting of crime and incidences (77 percent); enhanced information/intelligence sharing (72 percent); involvement of members of the community in prioritization of their security needs (61 percent); community arresting and handing over criminals to the police (41 percent); and reduction of complaints against police (34 percent).

However, community policing initiatives and activities were found not to have influenced public trust in the police in a positive way.

 From the findings, 50 per cent of the respondents said community policing had not influenced their trust; 33 per cent said it had increased their trust in police, while 17 per cent said it had reduced their trust in the police.

“This is a pointer to the fact that there are still long-standing systemic, historical and deep-seated structural issues in the National Police Service that continue to negatively shape public experience, perceptions and opinion,” the study states.

The study also revealed that the police had a difficult relationship with the youth, boda boda operators, business community, persons of male gender, matatu public transport operators, victims of crime, women, and informers.

Blanket swoops

The strained youth-police relationship has been attributed to a number of factors including youth over-profiling, youth over-policing, youth-targeting, blanket swoops on young people, generalised condemnation of young people as likely ‘suspects’ or ‘criminals.

“Such generalised profiling, targeting and condemnation put youths at odds with law enforcement officials,” the study states.

 The main complaints against police by Kenyans include corruption (82 percent); delayed response to distress calls and emergencies (65 percent); police harassment and intimidation (51 percent); rogue police officers colluding with criminals (50 percent); unlawful arrests and detentions (38 percent); limited police visibility (25 percent); abuse of police power (24 percent); police brutality and excessive use of force (21 percent).

Others are extortion, lack of confidentiality on information/intelligence shared by community, involvement of police in criminal activities; and human rights abuses and violations, among others.

According to the NCRC, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all citizens is not a preserve of law enforcement agencies but a concerted effort of the police, the public and other stakeholders.

“Community policing strategy has been implemented in the country, integrating citizen in complementing security agencies in preventing crimes, maintaining public safety, law and order,” the NCRC stated.

 The report adds: “Successful community partnership in this endevour depends to great extent, on the public trust and confidence in police and policing.”

The research was conducted in December, 2024 in 11 counties of Nairobi, Mombasa, Machakos, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Uasin Gishu, Bungoma, Garissa, Turkana, and Isiolo.

Regarding awareness and participation in community policing in the localities, the report states that 56 percent of the study’s respondents said they were familiar with community policing approach; while 43 percent said they were somewhat familiar with community policing, whereas 1 percent were not familiar with community policing.

The study found out inclination for members of the public to confuse National Police Service-led Community Policing with Nyumba Kumi. Whereas Nyumba Kumi anchors community policing at the household level or any other generic cluster, the NPS-led Community Policing involves structured collaboration with law enforcement.