The Concept Of Community Policing In Jamaica

Imagine living in a community where you experience constant fear, individuals having to miss work or school whenever there is a violent flare-up or individuals unable to leave home successfully without having to worry about theft and loss of property. Though these situations are difficult to fathom, they are faced by many Jamaicans, especially those who reside in garrison areas. Our country is constantly plagued with gangsters and thugs who prey on their own communities or the communities of others. This is therefore the reason for the establishment of community policing. Community Policing is a form of crime prevention and restorative justice, which serves to satisfy the need for safety, by reducing the incidences of crime. It is mandated to identify and eradicate conflicts and problems within the community, build and foster a strong working relationship between the police and the community, empower the members of the community and minimize or eliminate prejudice or stereotype of a community.

Conflicts and problems between individuals are inevitable because everyone is different in nature, temperament, and in their ability to comprehend and interpret. Conflicts also arise because of limited resources, unequal distribution of resources and other social class issues as theorized by Karl Marx’s Conflict Theory (Crossman, 2019). Community policing in relation to conflict resolution acts as a preventive measure to lessen or prevent violent outbursts, shootings and murders. Police officers are trained professionals who are equipped with effective problem-solving strategies, investigative methods and instruments to probe problems between individuals or that an individual may be facing. They are expected to be ethical, unbiased individuals who can make appropriate linkages between the affected members of the community and resources or link the community member(s) to the respective personnel who should then be able to link or source resources for the afflicted. In the event that a conflict escalates to involve illegal approaches or confrontations. It is the police’s responsibility to quickly provide an amicable solution to the conflict. In these cases, following the investigative process, the police within the full extent of the law, are able to detain or arrest individuals who disrupts the homeostasis of the community.

In order for the police to be effective in their attempts to prevent, minimize or put an end to crime and violence within a community, they need to develop a relationship with the members of that community. This is to facilitate trust between the community members and the Police. In doing this, information gathering during the investigative process, will become easier and more efficient. For example: In the years 2016 and 2017, the parish of St. James was plagued with random mass shootings, murders and gang-related deaths. The total number of deaths within the two years skyrocketed to 269 and 335 murders respectively. As a result, St. James was dubbed the parish with the most homicides for the two years throughout Jamaica. (Gleaner, 2018) As a response to the drastic increase in shootings, murders and other gang-related activities, the Government decided to implement a Zone Of Special Operations (ZOSO), to combat the crime situation in St. James. In doing so, police and military personnel were deployed in St. James and neighboring parishes. This resulted in the parish experiencing a significant decrease in criminal activities to include murders. In subsequent newscasts, residents of the area, reported that they felt safer, public order was restored and they were now able to go about and conduct business as they did before. This proves, that not only was the presence of the police felt and understood as a deter to crime but that the police were able to go in this area, lessen criminal activities, increase productivity and safety and build a good sustained relationship with the people of this area.

Following the sustenance of a good working relationship, to maintain a crime-free community, it is important to empower the members of the community. In most cases, areas populated with criminals and criminal activities, are directly linked to a low socioeconomic area or background, little potential for economic growth, limited resources and few opportunities for its members. In such an environment, many youths are driven by the desire for a better life any means necessary. With such an instilled mindset, many become prey for gangs and other criminal entities or victims of same. The police along with Social Workers and or children advocates, upon entering such a community, would assess the root cause of crime in that community and also the age range of individuals involved. Once this is known, a strategy to combat crime is derived starting with the root cause. This action then becomes the beginning to getting the community members empowered. For example: Trench town, home of many great musical and cultural icons such as Bob Marley and a culture yard museum which is both a local and tourist attraction; was once a hot crime spot. However, since many states of emergencies and police entering and interacting with its residents, (RJRNews, 2012) Trench Town has become a cultural hub. With the opening of the Trench Town community and homework center, came many opportunities from various stakeholders in both the public and private sectors. There were skills training opportunities, homework assistance for children and adolescence, sports programs, music, dance and mentorship programs; youths were now able to visualize their future though education, sports and culture.

Is our self-representation directly liked to our residence? The answer to this question is yes. Where we are from, our immediate environment, the individual with which we associate, the culture and tradition of the environment, plays a key role in how we view ourselves; especially in comparison to that of someone from another community. The way we represent ourselves and the way we are perceived by others are all linked to the image and status of the community. Over time this impacts our confidence to represent our community. Take for instance, a situation with which an individual applies for a job using another address in order to increase his or her probability of getting the job. In such an event, the individual deems that community to be more acceptable than his own. He or she sees the community s being more stable, economically friendly and having more opportunities to offer its residence; as opposed to his or her own community. The role of the police in this case following the empowerment process is to increase the instances of good promotion for the community. This can be done through youth forums, fun days, sports days, cultural events, safe spaces for cooperating Jamaica to sponsor events just to name a few. These events will not only galvanize community interaction among its members but also show external individuals to include cooperate Jamaica that this community is safe to interact with, employ its members, visit, invest in, support, do business and live. The increase in interactive opportunities, will in time minimize and eventually eliminate stereotypes and prejudice from within or attached to the community.

Jamaica is no stranger to crime and criminal activities, however, the ability to feel safe is a right that we are all born with. It is therefore the job of our security forces (Police) to ensure that this is a constant for every Jamaican as much as possible. The act of feeling safe will reciprocate increase in productivity, increase in economic exchange, increase in job creation, equal allocation of government funds and opportunities, increase in the good quality of life for our children, more school attendance, growth in culture, sports and an overall safe space for all.

References

1. Crossman, A. (2019, September 9). Understanding Conflit Theory. Retrieved from https:www.thoughtco.com/conflict-theory-3026622
2. Gleaner, T. (2018, 01 05). 2017 murders by Division St James leads with 335 homicides. Retrieved from Jamaica Gleaner: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20180105/2017-murders-divisions-st-james-leads-335-homicides
3. RJRNews. (2012, December 10). RJR News. Retrieved from rjrnewsonline.com: http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/curfew-on-in-sections-of-denham-and-trench-town