A model for Community Policing Forums according to the South African Constitution : the case of JB Marks Local Municipality

Abstract

Community Policing is a policing model aimed at addressing the root causes of crime and community social ills in a proactive and efficient manner through community-police partnerships. This policing model implies that police and communities to need come and work together in harmony by forming community-police partnerships with the aim of creating sustainable and peaceful neighbourhoods. The key to these community-police partnerships is co-operative arrangement. This research study applied qualitative research as its research design in its exploration paradigm, to determine the effectiveness of Community Policing Forums within the JB Marks Local Municipality amid the South African Police Service’s seeming abandonment of Community Policing as its policing model. The sampled population in the thesis were purposively selected and comprised of police officers in different categories such as station commanders, community policing officers and sector commanders, as well as ordinary community members who are either involved in policing aspects through a Community Policing Forum or Sector Forum. Both individuals and focus group interviews served as data collection instruments and were utilised to extract information from participants. Collected data was analysed utilising a Split-Apply-Combine strategy whereby large pieces of data were broken down into manageable pieces. Thereafter, each piece of data was independently examined and analysed to determine what it meant. From that process, similar themes that appeared disjointed at first glance, were then assembled together and further analysed to obtain the true meaning of the data. Data collected from research participants or respondents confirmed the research problem statement in a sense that, South African Police Service within JB Marks Local Municipality seemed to drift away from Community Policing prescripts. As a result, Community Policing Forum structures inclusive of their sub-forums are somehow not as effective as they should be. Even though study participants highlighted challenges associated with Community Policing and Community Policing Forums within JB Marks Local Municipality, they emphasized that Community Policing as a policing model should be retained as a preferred policing. Challenges associated with this policing model inclusive of Community Policing Forums and their sub-structures need to be addressed so that the community and law-enforcement agencies could see the benefits of Community Policing. In

conclusion, based on the research results and empirical findings, this study designed a model for a Community Policing Forum for the JB Marks Local Municipality within a South African context, which is aimed at rejuvenating Community Policing and Community Policing Forums.