Content uploaded by Md. Habibur Rahman
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Md. Habibur Rahman on Mar 01, 2023
Content may be subject to copyright.
The Promise and Challenges of Community Policing in Bangladesh
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to discuss the concept, history, formation and functions of community policing as well as to identify the challenges of community policing in Bangladesh. Continue...
Article Information:
“The Promise and Challenges of Community Policing in Bangladesh” (with Md. Mujahidul Islam), Journal of Political Science (Peer reviewed journal of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur- BRUR), Volume 1, No. 4, September 2018, pp. 171-196.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
Problem-oriented policing is considered to be a very effective strategy to prevent crimes, which prefers proactive strategies over reactive responses. Understanding the importance of problem-oriented policing, Dhaka District Police has already taken some initiatives for preventing offenses in the first place. The paper has given a look at those initiatives taken by Dhaka district police and wanted to explore whether those initiatives can decrease crimes and minimize the tendency of criminal behaviors. Our result shows that the number of case filed under Dhaka District Police has a decreasing pattern during 2011-15, especially cases concerning violence against women and children have reduced significantly. It is clear that the problem-oriented proactive policing worked as one of the catalysts to reduce the number of cases filed. This result is consistent with the evidence from similar other studies and existing theory, which predicts that problem-oriented proactive policing will reduce cases and have a positive impact on the community level. However, further research with extensive primary data collection is necessary to measure the impact of the proactive policing practice of the Dhaka District Police.
Community Policing (CP) has been a much used, overused and abused term. Many blindly adopt it, others blindly reject it. This brief article argues that a cogent policing strategy that deploys CP should start with the focus on the epidemiology of crime and the understanding of how crime is produced. There is no need to reinvent the wheel of policing strategies. Just drive it. Community Policing (CP) emerged in the mid-1980s as a new policing strategy. Unlike many public policies that are formulated by politicians (with at least some based on scientific data-driven proposals), CP - at least in the U.S. - emerged from a group of inspired police leaders, frustrated with the revolving-door impact of traditional reactive policing. These leaders were looking for more effective approaches to deal with soaring crime figures. U.S. policing was encouraged and influenced by policing advances made particularly in the U.K. and in Canada. The Clinton administration gave CP its public visibility with a commitment to add 100,000 officers across the U.S. (a target not reached; according to NIJ figures it fell short by 15 to 31 percent) and particularly committing to budgets in the form of federal grants for CP initiatives. The focus on homeland security following the September 11, 2001 atrocity, has essentially replaced CP as the prevalent public safety approach that was also backed up by generous budgets, grants, and a huge governmental administrative enterprise. Time and space preclude an in-depth delineation of the complexities of CP but suffice it to say that the strength of CP also carries with it its greatest weakness. Namely, it is a nebulous and sometimes misunderstood concept that is often in the eyes of the beholder. It relies on an "understanding" of what it is or what it should be but all too often it appears that there are many and different "understandings" ranging from the very tactical to the very strategic. It is perhaps less shocking to realize if we consider that laws vary significantly from state to state (not to mention country to country) and so do legal definitions of crime (and punishment). Thus, one might hear a police chief
Community Policing: Great initiative, slow improvement, Retrieved May 6
- A Khayer
Concept and Theory in Community Policing
- N Fielding
Community Policing: A practical Security Strategy
- R Reza