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4. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNTY
POLICING
4.1. SERVICE ORIENTATION
Service orientation is primarily concerned with promoting
the concept that community is the client, and the Police the
service provider. This means that the various needs of the
client must be taken into account, to enable the rendering
of a professional, client-centered service that is effective,
efficient and accountable.
4.2. PARTNERSHIP
The establishment of Community Police Forums and Boards, which
should be broadly representative of the community, is of crucial
importance. This should be seen as a co-operative effort to
facilitate a process of problem solving. The main objective
of this partnership is to determine, through consultation,
community needs and policing priorities, and to promote police
accountability, transparency and effectiveness.
However, Community Police Forums, sub-forums and Boards are
not necessarily the only means by which to address certain
problems. Such structures should attempt to include all relevant
stakeholders.
Community needs may also be determined by means of surveys,
interviews, workshops, community profiles and other measures.
4.3. PROBLEM SOLVING
This relates to the joint identification and analysis of the
actual and potential causes of crime and conflict within communities.
This analysis guides the development of measures to address
such problems over the short-, medium- and long-term.
Problem solving also involves conflict resolution and creative
problem solving methods to address problems related to service
delivery and police community relations.
4.4. EMPOWERMENT
This refers to the creation of a sense of joint responsibility
and a joint capacity for addressing crime, service delivery
and safety and security amongst members of the community and
South African Police Service personnel. This implies that
members of the community and South African Police Service
personnel are to be educated with regards to Community Policing,
to enable all to play a constructive role in the Community
Police Forums, Broads and in their respective communities.
4.5. ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability will be realized by creating mechanisms through
which the Police can be made answerable for addressing the
needs and concerns of the communities they serve. Mechanisms
such as the Offices of the Members of the Executive Council’s
(MECs), the Provincial Secretariats for Safety and Security
community visitor schemes, the Independent Complaints Directorate
and efforts to make the Police more transparent can be utilized
to establish a culture of accountability. |
