INFLUENCE OF COMMUNITY POLICING ON CRIME REDUCTION IN LURAMBI SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

globally. Kenya is not an exception thus community policing was adopted to enhance security and safety, reduce crime, fear and improve social order in the neighborhoods through engagement of the community members and police. However, crime rate in some counties still remains high. For instance, a recent report by National Crime Statistics ranked Kakamega County fourth among Kenya's most crime-prone counties in 2019. The report indicated that most crimes in Kakamega have occurred in Lurambi Sub-County. Therefore, the study sought to examine the influence of community policing on crime reduction in Lurambi Sub-County. The research was guided by the following specific objectives: To examine the extent to which community policing initiatives have succeeded in reducing crime rate in Lurambi Sub – County; to establish the effect of community participation on crime reduction in Lurambi Sub-County; to identify the strategies taken by the government to ensure better community policing in Lurambi Sub – County; and, to assess the influence of Nyumba Kumi community policing initiative on crime reduction in Lurambi Sub – County. Broken windows Theory and Systems Theory guided the study. The study employed a descriptive research design, and adopted stratified sampling technique and purposive sampling techniques to obtain sample units. The target population of the study was 1182 being community members, Nyumba Kumi leaders, police officers and National Government Administration Officers. Stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to select community members who were the primary respondents for the study while purposive sampling was used to select key informants being police officers, Nyumba Kumi leaders and National Government Administration officers. A sample of 284 community members was used during data collection while 21 Nyumba Kumi leaders, 19 police officers and 5 National Government Administration Officers were also sampled to take part in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect data from community members, interview schedule was used to collect data from police officers and National Government Administration Officers while a Focus Group Discussion Guide was used to collect data from Nyumba Kumi leaders. The quantitative data was processed and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28.0 for windows while the collected qualitative data was analyzed thematically in line with the study objectives. Results were presented using tables and figures. The study findings revealed a statistically significant relationship between community policing initiatives and crime reduction in Lurambi Sub-County (r= 0.574, p<0.05). The study also found a significant relationship between community participation in community policing and crime prevention in Lurambi Sub-County (r= 0.549, p<0.05), police training and community members sensitization was the strategy used by the government to enhance the success of community policing in crime reduction and the Nyumba Kumi initiative was significant in crime reduction in Lurambi Sub-County (r= 0.517, p<0.05). In light of the findings made, the study concluded that the Police-Community partnership method has a significant and positive effect on the crime reduction hence recommended coordination of the developed national crime reduction strategy based on the Nyumba Kumi initiative to monitor, evaluate and report on the progress made in the implementation of community policing only in Lurambi Sub-County but also at National level and beyond.