# a) Background of the Study ommunity policing is a philosophy founded on the principle that in a democratic society like Nigeria. The police are entrusted by their fellow citizens to protect and serve the public's fundamental rights, liberty, equality, and justice under the law. To fulfil that privileged role, the police must be a part of, and not apart from the communities they serve. This fact reiterates the need for involving the communal, the local government, and the police to work together to stop crime. One rationale for public involvement is the belief that police alone can nether create nor maintain safe communities. Therefore, community policing has emerged as a main issue in the development of public safety for many countries in the world. For example, Singapore, Canada (Walker, 1992), England (Friedman, 1992), by 2000, many nations had introduced community policing as it becomes a worldwide growth. On the 27th April 2004, His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo formally launched the Nigeria Police Community Project. Unfortunately, this project could not be as active as the country's Modus Operandi is not under international best practices. Therefore, community policing has emerged as a leading issue in the development of public safety in many countries of the world as was experienced in England (Friedman, 1992), Singapore, Canada (Walker, 1992), Israel, and Scandinavian countries. Community policing can be ineffective in Nigeria, as the country's modus operandi is not following international best practices. For instance, Neighbourhood watch, as community policing is known as a situation in which the police and community members establish "citizen advisory committees that would open up channels of communication between police officers and the community" (Sykes, 1978, p. 394). Citizen advisory committee is composed of police personnel, and members and leaders of a community, members of the business community, and the clergy living within that vicinity; and are all duly recognized by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN, as amended), and the 2004 Police Reform/Police Act. The local policing mechanism is acknowledged by government as a powerful body in solving crime-Introduction problems in the country. Irrespective of this locally formed body in crime detection and arrest, the country is still battling to embrace international best practices in policing. The Nigerian Police are still developing strategies for improving the modern community policing in terms of developing a non-democratic platform where enforcement of law and order requires utilizing coerciveness, brutality, and disregard for fundamental human rights will be detached. Traditionally, policing was the collective responsibility of all adults in the community. In the medieval society, all adult males were under compulsion to contribute towards the maintenance of law and order, prevent and control crime under the systems of 'hue, cry and pursuit' as well as the 'watch and ward that heralded the development of specific police force as an organ of the state. Nonetheless the emergence of the government, with its vast administrations brings in centralization, hierarchical authority with power structure, and professional staff (Weber, 1968) which changed the traditional mode of policing philosophy, to say policing is everybody's business. The emergence of the state as a being's monopolistic tendency in creating legitimate violence in society (Weber 1968), resulting in the creation of dedicated organizations such as the Armed Forces and The Police to control the use of violence by other assemblages. Chukwuma (2001) detailed Police work to be a variety of tasks and responsibilities, in which Officers are to prevent crimes, protect the lives and property of the citizenry, enforce the laws of the State, maintain public peace and order, quell riots, and provide other range of services to citizens. In the bid of carrying out these duties, the men appointed to execute them must have the potential for violence and the right to use coercive means where necessary to establish social control (Groenewald & Peake, 2004). The Police act as the representatives of the coercive force of the state and the legitimate users of such must have some kind of attitudes and characteristics. Hence, modern police force has the primary duty of law enforcement and maintain law and order. So, what constitutes the content of law and order vary across time and nations as determined by the higher hierarchy of the political economy of the social order; meaning that the roles frolicked by the police are defined by law and a conception of order as per the political and economic interests of the dominant or ruling groups in society. To this end, Reiner (1993) postulated that the police is the body of specialist that carries the state's substratum power that has the monopoly of the legitimate use of force especially in civil matters in keeping political order in a nation that should be devoid of abuse of power in partisan interests or in themselves. The chief duty of Police is to defend and preserve the interests of the dominant groups and classes in a defined society. The role of the Police in a totalitarian and economically inequitable society, will be to defend the status quo of political oppression and economic injustice; and whereas, in a democratic society, they are to provide services that will enhance development and attainment of democracy (Alemika, 1999). However, the maintenance of law and order in any society has usually been the exclusive role of conventional police and other law enforcement agents in the absence of active participation of the members of the community. During those days, the police not only faced difficulty in tackling crime but also criticized for the unfriendly nature of the relationship with members of the public. To prevent crime successfully, there must be community partnership and involvement. It was in reaction to this development that the concept of community policing was introduced (Ordu and Unam, 2017). O`Block, Donnermeyer and Doeren (1991) stated that crime causes social, economic, health, and psychological effects on the society and the citizens. Socially, crime diminishing the quality of life of individuals and the community. In order to curb the menace of crime in the society the Police institution was set up and officers are recruited, trained, and deployed appropriately. Morgan (1996) opined that the primary function of the police is the prevention of crime and apprehension of criminals. Reiner (2000), specified that the functions carried out by the police bring about the sustenance of order, legality, development, and democracy. Police duties include securing the citizens, and to ensure compliance with existing laws, as well as ensuring conformity to precepts of social order. It is worthwhile to note that the police are not the only organization in policing. Policing as an institution set up in all societies of the world for the preservation of law, order, safety, and social relations. Policing job in modern societies are characterized by multiplicities and incongruities arising from heterogeneous societies, the growth of urban cities, the institution of industrialization, conflicting ideologies and philosophies bearing on the sociopolitical and economic interrelationships of these societies. Nevertheless, the recruited Police are paid by the state to administer law, maintain order, and prosecute culprits in the social order. Qadri (2005) acknowledged that the main duty of the police is to enforce law and order, safeguard lives and property, fighting crimes and criminals, and render other essential services in the society. The organized public faces a lot of unruly behaviours that are inimical to human progress leaving no peace to its victim and the society and as such the work of the Police is necessary as to enforce and main law and order which task is enormous and requires concerted efforts from other agencies to achieve thoroughgoing constructive results. Crimes are generally most obvious in the neighbourhood. The rate of crime in the society overwhelm the Police force and needs public support and co-operation. This calls for more police men which the government alone could not afford and therefore, calls for intensive partnership and concerted efforts of other body polity for the achievement of crime-free society in Nigeria. This need requires both the formal and informal organisations to join hands with the Police to fight crime. This idea or thought will definitely lead to greater success in crime prevention and control if not total eradication in our communities. The blending of both the formal and informal policing in various towns and villages is called the police-public relationship which often time alienates for certain reasons among which is the claiming of superiority and egoism. However, mutual supports are very necessary in establishing cognitive relationship between the two social actors. There is a great need to bring the police much closer to the public, and verse versa is crucial or decisive to bring about a crime free society for all and sundry, and whereas in the past, police-public relationship has been estranged, and in shackles, making mutual supports very tough. However, the same sour relationship exist in Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State is no exception. With growing urbanization and national development, there are signs of complexity and multiplicity of criminal offences and acts. Thousands of lives and millions of birr worth of property are being lost as a result of one crime or the other. In essence, there must obstacles to effective community policing and a solution to this problem. The emergence of community policing was to create a real partnership with the existing legal framework for crime prevention and protection of life and property. The maintenance of law and order in any society has usually been the exclusive role of conventional police and other law enforcement agents in the absence of active participation of the members of the community. During those days, the police do not only faced difficulty in tackling crime but also criticized for the unfriendly nature of the relationship with members of the public. Thus, community policing has enjoyed an extensive coverage among scholars. The general mind bogging question is what kind of impediments that confront community policing in crime detection and prevention that is prevalent in Akwa Ibom State? Hence, the need for this study in Akwa Ibom State. # b) Objectives of the Study The general objective of the study was to assess the impediments against operative community policing in crime prevention in Akwa Ibom State. Specific objectives include the following: i. To identify the practices of community policing in Akwa Ibom State. ii. To find out the impediments against effective community policing in the study area. iii. To assess the role of community policing for crime prevention. iv. To assess the attitudes of residents and police officers towards community policing. c) Research Questions i. To what extent is the practice of community policing related to crime prevention in the study area? ii. What are the impediments against effective community policing in the study area? iii. What is the attitude of residents and police officers towards community policing in the study area? # d) Statement of Hypothesis The following hypothesis will guide this study: Ho: There is no relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention/reduction in the study area. Ho: There is no cordial relationship between the attitudes of residents'/police officers and effective community policing. Ho: There is no relationship between impediments against effective community policing in the study area. # e) Significance of the Study Community policing is generally regarded as one of the more significant recent developments in effective crime prevention strategies around the world. The concept has been widely discussed and applied in various countries and a range of contexts, thus studying the effectiveness and challenges of community policing may contribute to providing viable experience and direction in fighting crime through community policing in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria by extension. Understanding the impediments against operative community policing is directly related to working to reduce ever-increasing crime rates in the region in general and the study area and the local community in particular. # f) Definition of Terms Community: According to the UN office on drugs and crime, "community" can refer to small neighbourhoods, areas within a city, or small villages or towns, or in some cases, groups of citizens with particular concerns. Moreover, community is the term that refers to a group of people who share three things: they live in a geographically distinct area (such as a city or town), they share cultural characteristics, attitudes and lifestyles and they interact with one another on a sustained basis. Thus, a community could be a group of people sharing the same city, similar social class, having the same culture, sharing the same objectives, and have similar psychological makeup. Crime: Crime is the omission of a duty that makes the offender liable to punishment by law or behaviour that is prohibited, as well as conduct or an act that is required by law (Crowe, 2000). Crime prevention: Crime prevention is an attempt to eliminate crime either before the initial occurrence or before further activity. Community Policing: Community policing involve the importance of an active partnership between the police, civil societies, and other agencies of government work together in identifying and solving problems to improve the overall quality of life as a whole and crime prevention in particular. As stated by Stone, Miller, Thorton, and Trone: Community policing is the desire to bring policing closer to citizens whose lives and property are supposed to be protected (Stone, Miller, Thorton, and Trone (2005). Police and Policing are two different words that looks the same but different in meaning. The name 'Police' means a specific social institution saddled with some responsibilities, while 'Policing' infers to a set of methods of explicit social functions. The term Police come from the Latin word Politia, which means "civil administration," while 'politia' is a Greek terminology of polis, or "city." Therefore, the police that institution engaged in the administration of a city. Politia became the French expression of Police. The English used it initially to mean civil administration, but later as a body saddled with some aspect of the administration of a civil society. # II. # Theoretical Framework a) Democratic Theory of Community Policing Community policing is a democratic principle that refers to anyone who exercises authority on behalf of the community, and is accountable to the community for the exercise of that authority." The democratic theory of community policing rests on the belief that community policing, which is a contemporary development in the area of policing, involves the empowerment of a new level of social organization to generate work for the police, namely, groups, communities, businesses, civic groups, neighbourhoods, etc. The theory also upholds the success of any democratic government to have depended on the voluntary compliance of citizens in obeying the society's laws and norms of demeanour. Police in a democracy are always in a dilemma, in balancing between the enforcement of laws and maintaining order on the one hand and being repressive on the other. Democratic community policing has the following roles to perform: i. Acts as a democratic role model for citizens by being impartial, fair, objective, display restraint, and have compassion, and tolerance for the citizenry. ii. Consistent in enforcement of the laws. iii. Investigates crimes and apprehends culprits. iv. Enlightens the public on how to protect themselves and their properties. v. Manages interpersonal and inter-group conflicts with minimum use of force. vi. In collaboration with communities and the Judiciary, crime rates are reduced (Lubuva, 2004). Palmiotto (2000), stated that democratic policing is characterise by responsiveness and accountability, and the democratic police force, is the one that responds to the needs of individuals, private groups, and the government. Therefore, the government needed to strengthen this arm to bring out its quality. Disaggregating the needs of the public is uppermost in the mind of a democratic police force to curb crime, terrorism, assassination, and control pandemonium. However, in the face of threats However, theorists of participatory democracy, propounded by Poulantzas (1978), Pateman (1979), and Macpherson (1962), advocated ideas about direct democracy of responsiveness and active citizenry participation in democratic policing with respect for equality in the modern complex world. They further stated that individuals should directly participate in decision-making at the local level to achieve real control throughout their everyday life. Macpherson (1962), and Ramaswamy, (2004) argued that a truthfully democratic society promotes powers of social cooperation and creativity which are prerequisites for a successful community policing, that maximizes aggregate satisfaction. The democratic theory of community policing derives its ideas from the model of deliberative democracy which is an offshoot of a democratic system that exercises decision taking after deliberations in open discussions among all the participants having the interest of others irrespective of personal opinions. In deliberative democracy, decisions are by consensus having open discussions in which collective bargaining, and collective decisions are reached. The exercise of democratic self-restraint is more important than the decisions reached and must favour all and sundry (Ramaswamy, 2004). Correspondingly, the developmental model of democracy advocates the development of human individuals and the community; holding the tenant that citizens are 'free' as they participated in actions that credence to shaping the life of their community (Heywood, 2004) Community policing is founded alongside this belief that members of a municipality can live a peaceful and orderly life if they directly participate in the free policing activities. The democratic theory of community policing is of the view that Police force is a communal effort having structures, resources, and expertise at its disposal in carrying out its functions. Therefore, the regular Police Force is a skeleton in which the policing work is every citizen's duty he owes his country. Hence, a democratic society is police force that is: i. Subject to the rule of law, having value and respect for human dignity. ii. Ready to intervene in the life of citizens and defend their lives and properties, and iii. Is publicly accountable to the society. The involvement of the public in police activities, which is an essential prerequisite for community policing, breeds a sense of belongingness. Periodic meetings between the municipal and the police at various levels serve the purpose. It brings police and the citizens closer. The idea of participation in policing helps the masses to appreciate the problems of the police and policing. It encourages citizens to partake in nationbuilding and boosts patriotism. In a democratic society like ours, the legitimacy of the police depends on broad and active public acceptance and support, which is lacking in our milieu. Unfortunately, the impact of existing police-initiated and policy-driven pilot community policing is yet to be explored in Nigeria and its component states, including Akwa Ibom State. As a means of achieving enhanced coverage and facilitating community policing between the police and the citizens, the government has established different partnership groups such as the Vigilante and community policing technology through the use of telephones such as the police emergency lines. These, as adopted by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command with Headquarters at Ikot Akpan Abia, are to create a communication link between the police and the local community dwellers where crime information can be reported. Despite these efforts, there have been a enormous number of diversified, complex, and serious crimes recorded in the previous years in different parts of the state. Reports from some sources indicate that there has been an increase in crime in both the number of crimes committed and in their complexity. However, there has been no proper assessment of perceived and felt priority needs of the local community and the police as a pointer to the limited motivation in crime prevention and limited proactive crime preventive activities by the municipal in a bid to unravelling impediments against real community policing in the state. Similarly, there has been no effectiveness in the implementation of the philosophy of community policing at the national level since inception. Therefore, this study attempts to contribute its part to assess the roles, obstacles, and prospects of community policing in crime prevention in Akwa Ibom State. # b) Review of Related Literature i. Community Policing Community policing is a strategy of crime management that deals with the elementary causes of crime with the view to developing and applying longerterm solutions to resolving issues through improved police-community partnership and communication (Dempsey and Forst, 2008). The traditional policing has three operational pillars, namely: the prop of random or unstructured routine community patrols, usually within a designated geographical location; the support of rapid response to calls from community residents; and the pillar of retroactive past crime investigations (Godwin et al., 2009). In another development, community policing is a proactive "approach toward crime that addresses the underlying causes of crime and endeavours to apply long term problem-solving to issues through improved police-community partnerships and communications (Dempsey and Forst, 2008). Community policing has existed in some developed communities, such as the American communities. In 1984, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) was created to provide federal leadership in developing the Nation's capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice, and assist crime victims (US Department of Justice 2001). OJP pursues its mission by forming partnerships with other Federal, State, and local agencies as well as national and community-based organizations to develop, operate, and evaluate a wide range of criminal and juvenile justice programs. OJP is therefore, dedicated to comprehensive approaches that empower communities to address crime, break the cycle of substance abuse and delinquency, combat family violence, curb youth crime, hold offenders accountable, protect and support crime victims, enhance law enforcement initiatives, respond to terrorism, and support advancements in adjudication. # ii. The Evolution of the Nigeria Police Force and Community Policing in Nigeria a. Nigeria Police Force (NPF) The West Coast of Africa in the Pre-Colonial era witnessed a policing arrangement that was community based, which lay emphasis on service as traditional rulers used non-disabled men for the administration of justice. Although the policing arrangement on ground before the annexation of Lagos as a British Colony in 1861 had no resemblance of an official police organization, but rather, Warrant Chiefs were appointed through the Emirs in the North and Obas in the West, the Kings (Amanyanabo or King) in the East and South-South to protect the colonial or European trade or commerce. The economic constraint experienced by the British officials between 1840 and 1861 led to the advent of the Lagos Consular Guard that comprise a 30-man guard to enforce law and order, and to maintain sanitary regulations. In 1863, the 30-member Consular Guard was renamed Hausa Guard, because of the ethnicity of the men recruited into the unit; which body was further regularized in 1879 by an ordinance creating a constabulary for the Colony of Lagos; and Hausa Constabulary. On January 1, 1896, The Lagos Police Force also came into existence on the 1st of January, 1896, and was armed like the Hausa Constabulary. The Oil River Protectorate which includes Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers States was created in 1891 with Headquarters at Calabar where an armed Constabulary was formed (Obaro, 2014). This protectorate area is today known as the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The Royal Niger Constabulary stationed in the North was alienated in1900 into the Northern Nigerian Police and the Northern Nigeria Regiment; while in the Southern Region, the Lagos Police Force and that of the Niger Coast Constabulary merged into the Southern Nigeria Regiments. The Nigeria Police Force was not merged when the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates took place in 1914. It was in 1930 that the Southern and Northern Regional Police forces were joined together to form the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Hence, the Nigerian Police Force was an upshoot of the Colonial policing gear of the national security force. Succeeding Nigeria Constitutions from 1979 to date have inculcated the Nigeria Police Force (presently known as The Nigeria Police) as federal police of Nigeria having exclusive jurisdiction over the entire country (Olong and Agbonika 2013). b. Functions of the NPF Sullivan (2005), state that the uniting function of the police is not just a particular social function, of checking mating and controlling crime, social service, maintenance of order or political repression; The Nigeria Police rather performed conventional functions and internal security services, supporting the Prison Service, Immigration and Customs Services, and Military duties within or outside Nigeria as directed (Nigeria Police Watch, 2011). # c. The Problems of Nigeria Police The ineffectiveness and inefficiency of the Nigeria Police has seriously battered its image and integrity judging from their constitutional responsibilities to the society. Terrorism visited their targets at will; armed robbers hold up towns to ransom for hours as if in stubborn defiance while reports of ritual killings are on the increase, kidnappings continue persistently. The Nigeria Police is poorly trained and equipped with meagre salary being extremely corrupt (Nwachukwu, 2012). The Nigeria Police suffer a deficit of public legitimation and support, as the public does not trust and support them, because their performance is low as the public disregards the character of Nigeria Police as lawless, brutal, with a very high level of dishonesty, irresponsible, being feared as despotic with no respected, disregarded, and despised by Nigerian public (Ibidapo-obe, 2003). Olong and Agbonika (2013), stated that one sad aspect of the Nigeria Police is that the police have become an instrument and bigot for the perpetration of electoral malpractices, in the hands of the present ruling government to truncate democracy. The Nigeria Police is notorious for abuse, corruption, and deep in crime, with no proper training; used as dullards by the politicians (Lukman, 2014). # d. The Impediments to Effective Policing in Nigeria The Nigeria Police performance is unsatisfactory; the police are ineffective and inefficient in their job of crime prevention, criminal investigation, and response to distress calls made by citizens. Several factors were adduced for the inefficiency of the Police, such as lack of productive and social infrastructure in society; inappropriate policing strategies and intelligence gathering, possession of non-utilizable and outdated skills and facilities, low quality training of rank and file; poor conditions of service, and remuneration (not now); lack of public co-operation; insufficient logistics in terms of transportation; telecommunication, arms, and ammunition, etc.; and lack of motivation. Hence, an ineffective police force has no command of respect from the public (Adeyemi, 2001 embark on the reconstruction of barracks, and the renovation of the existence as the accommodation of more officers and men at the barracks will enable speed response to a distress call from citizens. The functional vehicle, patrol motorcycle, and helicopters will enhance extensive aerial surveillance and patrol activities; the Government should provide patrol boats for the security of the waterways. Also, there should be the introduction of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in every nook and cranny in the country. f. Public Responsibility: In this modern era, effective policing is the collective responsibility of all members of the public i.e. the government, the governed, and the police personnel themselves are duty band to have a stake in the country policing system. Although God is the ultimate security provider; yet, it is our responsibility to take of ourselves by taking necessary precautions. Hence, it is sensible for all to be mindful of the activities of miscreants in our places of work, worship, home, during travelling, and anywhere we may find ourselves. Giving useful and timely security information to the police for prompt attention is necessary at all times. Evidence is an appliance used in the management of security in exposing criminals, so expose misconducts. Police officers are neither magicians nor miracle workers who needed the information to work with (Oyemwinmina and Aibieyi, 2016). iii. Community Policing in Nigeria Community Policing project was launched in Nigeria on April 27, 2004 as a pilot scheme, the idea was to improve the police-public relation, which is imperative for proactive policing. Although this strategy has recorded some successes, however, the growing tension, terrorism, and civil unrest in various communities across the nation show that there is a need for improvement in the community policing strategies in the country. The following, among others, are the factors that contributed to the poor performance of the existing Community policing strategy in Nigeria (Muller, 2010): i. Selective delivery of police and security services. ii. Citizens avoided community police for fear of being noticed by hoodlums as police informants and dealt with. iii. The populace had some negative beliefs about the police as enemies of progress. iv. Lack of convenient and friendly platform for divulging crime information. v. There is no safe platform provided for guidance and support for citizens who wish to renounce crimes and tread the path of modesty. vi. Development of preferential treatments and corrupt networking among the indigenes and the police. # c) Impediments Against Effective Community Policing in Nigeria The Community Policing Partners for Justice, Security and Democratic Reforms (COMPPART) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit rights-based peace building organization working to reduce, and ultimately eradicate, all forms of antagonism between civil society and law enforcement agencies in the lawful discharge of their functions to the communities they serve in Nigeria. Community policing is beset with several impediments, namely, bribery and corruption, selective enforcement of the law, community negative perception of police, public loss of trust and confidence, inadequate workforce, poor community relations, 'godfatherism,' lack of visionary schemes, etc. Bribery and corruption are systemic in Nigerian police establishment, a situation that is referred to as an obstinate problem. Also, gratification has been the lifestyle of police officers' and it is the key flaw that makes them not to gain public support, confidence and co-operation for operative community policing in Nigeria (Alemika, 1999;Karimu, 2015). Other challenges include insufficient funding by the government, systemic corruption and internal decadence, inadequate workforce, partisanship, ethnicity, lack of accountability, defects in constitutional provisions, and apparent lack of public confidence, further leading to weak or low legitimacy (Otu and Aro, 2013). In community policing, the community tends to control the police and the implication is that get corrupted, and indulges in illegal activities (Carter, 2002). Another major setback in community policing in Nigeria is the selective enforcement of law syndrome, whereby the poor and minority groups isolate themselves from the police. since the law enforcement operations focus on the underprivileged minorities, and subjugated them. There has been widespread favouritism shown to politicians and privileged upperclass community members. Hess et al. (1992) admitted that politicians, business elite and community leaders are not policed, but the poor and underprivileged. # d) Empirical Literature on Community Policing in Nigeria There are certain strategies that when adopted will make community policing to be successful in Nigeria and possibly in other societies. These strategies are strongly advocated as: i. Police-Community Partnership, ii. Police-Community Information Sharing, and iii. Police Involvement in Community Affairs (Police-Community Affairs). A. Police-community partnership is involving the public in policing the community by establishing citizenry advisory committees, that opens channels of communication between the duo. These committees are made up of well-established members of the society who have the charisma and the interest of the community at heart. Reiner (2003) is of the view that this arrangement permits the police to meet with residents to discuss crime in the neighbourhood and uses personal initiative to solve problems. In Nigeria, the traditional rulers and members of their cabinet, town union and opinion leaders, and youth leaders are the representatives of citizenry advisory committees, that regularly meets with police to discuss their welfare, crimerelated problems, police-community relationships, etc. and then work out modalities on how to combat crime to the barest minimum. B. Police-community information sharing is a strategy for active community policing, whereby information sharing is the chief reason for the bilateral meeting which helps the police to establish the identity of crime suspects within the community in question. Whenever, there is a discrepancy between individuals' actual social identity and their perceived distinctiveness, it leads to error, and social control agents are not immune to error (Kelly and Clarke, 2003). In such situations, the information from the sharing community only is useful to get the true culprits identified and made to face the law, which is a tactic that enhances community policing (Quinney, 1974). Through Police-community information sharing, a good relationship between the police and community was made possible and serves as a means of overcoming the barriers in information gathering and dissemination. Through this joint body, vital crime information about activities of miscreants and their whereabouts are easily exposed, which solves a multitude of challenges before community policing in Nigeria; that has deterred crimes before occurrences. C. Police involvement in community affairs portrays the police as servants of the society. The Community Police should in a sensible manner, enforce law and order, and ensure compliance with policies. Existing literature has confirmed that the involvement of police in community affairs has yielded productive dividends. Quinney (1974) started that when there is collaboration between the Police and the Community in maintaining social order, the legal system less vulnerable in criminal justice administration. # III. ethod of tudy a) Research Design The study looks at impediments against active community policing. This involved gathering data subjects located in a geographical area in which a survey is most appropriate. Our research was on responses from the sampled population, who are representatives of the public. The survey design is inferential. # b) Study Areas and Period The study was carried out in four local government areas in Akwa Ibom State, namely Ikot Abasi, Oron, Uyo, and Ikot Ekpene. # c) Study Population The study population consists of the residents of the study areas. These districts and administrative towns were purposively selected to recruit study respondents. By extension, sampled residents of the local community in all the study areas were the sources of information for survey data in this study. # d) Data Collection Method Data for the study was collected using both closed and open-ended questionnaire items. Which allowed respondents to express their views about the philosophy, practice, and challenges of implementing community policing. In contrast, closed-ended questionnaire with designed to address specific and factual issues related to it. A self-structured questionnaire was prepared in English and used to make it easy for communication. Besides, questionnaire pre-testing was carried out to make necessary modifications before its use for the actual study. # e) Sampling Technique This study utilized a simple random sampling technique to obtain representative samples from each study area. However, residents that did not give their consent or refused to participate, and those who were seriously ill and unable to take part during the period of data collection were left out from the study. # f) Sample Size The sample comprised 178 (59.3%) male and 122 (40.7%) female respondents, with those in the age group of 15-20 = 9.3%, 21-26 = 15%, 27-32 = 20%, 33-38 = 18%, 39-44 = 12.3%, 45-50 = 15% while those between the ages of 51 and above = 11%. Ages 27-32 years constitutes the highest proportion (n=60; 20.0%). Respondents from Ikot Abasi (n=100, 33.33) and Uyo (n=75, 25%) constituted the highest number of respondents. Others were Oron (n=60, 20%) and Ikot Ekpene (n=65, 21.67%). A sizeable proportion of respondents were Christians (n=288, 96%) while the remaining were Muslims (n=12, 4%). For educational status, most respondents were Primary School leavers (n=74, 24.6%), while a proportion, slightly higher than one-tenth of the sample (n=38, 12.7%) had no formal education. Those with secondary education (n=126, 42%) and those who acquired higher Degree are (n=62, 20.67 or 20.7%) # g) Instrumentation A self-administered questionnaire as per 'Appendix A' was used to obtain data. The instrument used was composed of three sections: demographic profile of respondents, the practice and obstacles of community policing and the role of community policing in crime prevention. The validity of the Instrument: Validity explains how well the collected data covers the actual area of investigation. Validity refers to the degree to which an instrument accurately measures what it intends to measure. The technique used for the test of the content validity was by expert literature review, and of Q-sorting, Cohen's Kappa Index (CKI), regression and correlation analysis, etc. # h) Reliability of the Instrument The reliability of the instrument describes the extent to which a measurement of a phenomenon provides a stable and consistent result. The Cronbach Alpha Coefficient was used to measure the internal consistency for the Likert scales. # i) Administration/Sources of Data We obtained both qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources. Secondary data were obtained from the related literature review as presented in chapter two of this work. The secondary data collected focused generally on the practice, roles, challenges, and prospects of community policing from the electronically and non-electronically available published and unpublished sources (books, journal articles, research proceedings, theses, dissertations, magazines, and newspapers) and reports of national and international governmental and non-governmental organizations from libraries and websites. Primary data gotten for this study were from research participants using quantitative facts from questionnaire. # j) Scale of Measurement We use random sampling techniques in this research work. A total number of three hundred (300) respondents were randomly selected for the research. This technique was adopted to ensure that every member of the targeted population was given the opportunity of being a subject. The Chi-Test was used to test the validity of the hypothesis. Where X2 = Chi-square test Fo = Observed frequency Fe = Expected frequency ? = Summation IV. Presentation of Data, Analysis, and Discussion of Findings a) Presentation of Data Demographic Profile of Respondents in the Study Area The charts below show gender (Fig. 1), age (Fig. 2), religious affiliation (Fig. 3), and Educational Qualification (Fig. 4) of respondents. Data on demographic characteristics of respondents were collected to reveal the respondent's age, sex, religious affiliations, and educational status. Of the 300 respondents recruited in this study, 178(59.3%) were males, while 122(40.7%) were females (Figure 1). Concerning age categories of the respondents (Figure 2), the results showed that respondents in the age group of 27-32 years constituted the highest proportion 60(20.0%) followed by those between the age group of 33-38 years 54(18.0%), 21-26 years and 45-50 years with the same number of respondents 44(15.0%). The remaining 9.3%, 11.0%, and 12.3% are in the age categories of 15-20 years, ?50 years, and 39-44 years, respectively. Data collected on religious affiliations of respondents, as indicated in figure 3, showed that while a significant majority of respondents 157(52.3%) were followers of Pentecostalism, 131(43.7%) were followers of Orthodox Christianity. Only 12(4.0%) of the remaining respondents were followers of Islam. With respects to the educational status of respondents as shown in a pie chart indicated in figure 4, the results showed that a significant number of 126 (42.0%) of respondents were those with secondary school certificates. In comparism, 74 (24.6%) had primary education. Only 38 (12.7%) of respondents had no formal education, while 62 (20.7%) of them attended tertiary institutions. # Percent Table 1: Respondents' views on whether there is a relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention and reduction in the study area Table 1 shows that 70% of the respondents strongly agreed that there is a relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention and reduction in the study area. 25% of the respondents are in support of the statement, while 5% disagreed with the researcher. # Table 2: Respondents' views on whether there is a relationship between the attitudes of residents and police officers, and effective community policing We see from table 2 that there is a relationship between the attitudes of residents and police officers and active community policing. 40% of the respondents strongly agreed to this statement, while 25% agreed with the proposition. 15% of the respondents disagreed with the statement, whereas 20% of the persons strongly disagreed Table 3: Respondents' views on whether there is a relationship between obstacles of community policing and effective implementation of community policing in the study area From table 3, 65% of the respondents strongly agreed that there is a relationship between obstacles of community policing and effective implementation of community policing in the study area. 20% of the respondents' support the statement; 5 % disagreed, while 10% of the respondents strongly disagreed with the proposition and did not see any significant relationship between the two variables. From table 4, we deduce that 50% of respondents strongly agreed that there are challenges of implementing community policing; 45% are in support while 5% expressed disagreement whereas there was no respondent who strongly disagreed with the researcher. # Table 5: Respondents' views on whether members of the community have undergone community policing training Table 5 shows that 93% of the respondents strongly agreed that members of the community had undergone community policing training; 5% of the respondents agreed with the above assertion, while 2% strongly disagreed on the proposition. # b) Data Analysis We carried out Statistical Analysis of Data as follows: i. Test of Hypothesis # Hypothesis One The workings of the hypotheses are as presented below: Ho: There is no relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention and reduction in the study area. Hi: There is a relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention and reduction in the study area. Testing the hypothesis was based on data collected from the questionnaire in table 0ne (1); respondents' views on whether there is a relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention and reduction in the study area. The Chisquare analysis was applied in testing the validity of the hypotheses in determining the degree of association. The Chi-Square statistics is given as: Where: Fo = observed frequently Fe = expected frequently ? = summation Decision Rule Accept Ho: If the computed x2 value is less than the critical value. Accept Hi: If the computed x2 value is higher than the critical value. At three (3) degrees of freedom with a 0.05 significance level, the table value of chi-square is 7.81. The calculated Chi-Square, as seen in table 1, is 1,498. Since the calculated value is higher than the tabulated value, we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative, which means, that there is a relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention and reduction in the study area. # ii. Hypothesis two The analysis of the workings in respect of hypotheses two are presented below: Ho: There is no relationship between positive attitudes of residents and police officers, and effective community policing. Hi: There is a relationship between positive attitudes of residents and police officers, and effective community policing. Testing the hypothesis was based on data collected from the questionnaire in table two (2); respondents' views on whether there is a relationship between attitudes of residents and police officers and effective community policing. To establish the validity of the hypothesis, Chi-Square analysis was applied to determine the degree of differences (if any). The Chi-Square statistics: Where: Fo = observed frequently Fe = expected frequently ? = summation Decision Rule: Accept Ho: If the computed x2 value is less than the critical value. Accept Hi: If the computed x2 value is larger than the critical value. Since the calculated value is larger than the tabulated value, we reject the null hypothesis is rejected and the alternative accepted, meaning that there is a relationship between positive attitudes of residents and police officers and effective community policing. iii. Hypothesis Three The workings of hypotheses three are presented below as follows: Ho: There is no relationship between impediments against community policing and the effective implementation of community policing in the study area. Hi: There is a relationship between impediments against community policing and the effective implementation of community policing in the study area. The test of the hypothesis was on data collected from the questionnaire in table three (3); whether, there is a relationship between impediments against community policing and effective implementation of community policing in the study area. To establish the validity of this hypothesis, the Chi-Square analysis was applied to determine the degree of differences (if any). The Chi-Square statistics are given below as: Where: Fo = observed frequently Fe = expected frequently ? = summation Decision Rule: Given df = (r-1) (c-1) R = C = Df = (4-1) (2-1) = (3) (1) Df = 3 X 2 = ? fo-fe 2 fe X 2 = ? fo-fe 2 Fe487 A ccept Ho: If the computed x2 value is less than the critical value. Accept Hi: If the computed x2 value is larger than the critical value. 4.4, is 1,210. Since the calculated value is larger than the tabulated value, we reject the null hypothesis and accept the alternative, meaning that there is a relationship between obstacles of community policing and effective or efficient implementation of community policing in the study area. # c) Discussion of Findings This section presents the discussion of the important hypothesis directing the study. The result of the first hypothesis showed that there is a relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention and reduction in the study area. The findings of the suppositions are in line with the assertion of Ordu and Unam (2017), which stated that, "? since the most visible part of criminal activities takes place at the neighbourhood level, policing agencies, need public support and co-operation. Intensive partnership and collaborative efforts of both the formal and informal agents of social control remain preconditions for a possible near 'crime-free' society (a complete crime-free society is a utopia); in other words, the idea will lead to great success in crime prevention and control in the community". Therefore, the result of these findings further strengthens the relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention and reduction in the study area and wherever it is practiced until otherwise proven by future research. The result of the second hypothesis revealed that there is a relationship between the attitudes of residents and police officers and operative community policing. The findings of hypothesis three disclosed that there is a relationship between obstacles of community policing and effective implementation of community policing in the study area. This result is in agreement with the observation515 of Otu and Aro (2013), which argued that: "? the police organization in Nigeria is facing serious obstacles that have continued to affect its legitimacy and the performance of its functions of crime prevention, control, or management. These challenges include poor funding by the government, systemic corruption and internal decadence, inadequate workforce, partisanship, ethnicity, lack of accountability, defects in constitutional provisions, and apparent lack of public confidence, further leading to weak or low legitimacy." Furthermore, Akuul (2011) stated that "inadequate workforce and poor deployment of personnel are the stumbling blocks to effective community policing in Nigeria, such as recruiting, training, inefficiency and indiscipline, and lack of skill in specialized fields." # Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations a) Summary Community policing is an indispensable tool that can actively and proactively cripple the root causes of crimes and insecurity in any community if correctly implemented. In this study, the results indicate that the practice of community policing has not been fully developed in Akwa Ibom State. In the old system of crime prevention, the relationship between the police force and the community, has changed, with the practice and functioning of community policing. The philosophy of community policing, as indicated in the reviewed literature, allows proactive prevention, collaborative work, and developing effective society partnerships in general security issues. The practices of community policing in the study area vary where the strategy requires collaboration between the community members/stakeholders and the police. Community policing plays an important role in crime prevention. For efficient and effective implementation of community policing, police partnerships with the community residents and active involvement of the government in all areas of importance are imperative. Understanding the practice of community policing or being aware of such phenomena by the residents is primordial in program implementation. The level of participation in community policing activities, the extent by which community members participate in community policing discussions, and training voluntarily and knowledge of respondents on those to be involved in community policing events are essential elements affecting the implementation of community policing in any area and Akwa Ibom State in particular. As admitted by almost all respondents in the study area, specific obstacles to real community policing include but not limited to corrupt practices, inadequate funding by government, lack of training, insufficient workforce, lack of public confidence, or good police-community relationship. The dwindling attitude of community members and police officers towards community policing stands out as the major obstacle to the implementation of community policing in the study area. To achieve the aim of this study, the following hypotheses guided this study: Ho: There is no relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention/reduction in the study area. Ho: There is no relationship between positive attitudes of residents/police officers and the effective community policing. Ho: There is no relationship between impediments against community policing and effective implementation of community policing in the study area. Literature related to the variables under study were formulated to guide the study. The research design involves the collection of data to accurately and objectively describe existing phenomena and to make inferences about the population. A total of three hundred and twenty (320) respondents were sampled and randomly selected for the study, although three hundred (300) respondents returned their questionnaires. The selection was made using the simple random sampling technique, so that every member of the population has equal and independent opportunity of being selected. Our data collection instrument was the questionnaire. Chi-Square test analysis was considered the most appropriate statistical technique employed because of the nature of the variables involved in the formulation of the hypothesis directing the study. Our suppositions were subjected to testing at 0.05 level of significance with critical value and degree of freedom. Summarily, the findings of the first hypothesis showed that there is a relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention/reduction in the study area. The findings of the second hypothesis revealed that there is a relationship between the attitudes of residents/police officers and operative community policing. Finally, the results of the third hypothesis disclosed that there is a relationship between obstacles of community policing and effective implementation of community policing in the study area. # VI. # Conclusion The results of this study showed that residents of Uyo have a slightly positive attitude towards community policing for the fact that, it is the State capital city, and there's the active involvement of the state government and community members without replicating the same in other areas. All participants in this study stalwartly explained inactive participation of community members, the attitude of police officers in crime prevention, and the absence of implementation in many local communities as foremost challenges of community policing. In this study, the behaviour of police officers and the community about the program were assessed, and; the results indicate a stout negative conduct of the residents and police officers towards community policing. In the philosophy of community policing, the community is the main actor, and without the involvement of the municipality, the strategy cannot be functional. Limited human resources for implementing community policing activities, less attention given by the government to the program, inadequate funding, and turnover of police officers are significant obstacles to operative community policing. 1![Figure 1: Gender of respondents](image-2.png "Figure 1 :") ; Ididapa-Obe,2003).i. Manpower Associated Problems:a. Manpower Problem: Police in investigations, guard duties,surveillance/intelligence gathering, etc.c. Insufficient Funding by the Government:e. Lack of effective Community Policing:Oyegoke (2003), stated that a well-integrated community policing could be a profitable in revealing information to Police as well as a tool to fight criminality.ii. e. Infrastructural development: The government should 31Volume XX Issue VIII Version I( H ) ResponsesRespondentsPercentageSA21070%A7525%D155%SD-0%Total300100%Year 202035Responses SA A D SD TotalRespondents 120 75 45 60 300Percentage 40% 25% 15% 20% 100%Volume XX Issue VIII Version I( H )Responses SA A D SD TotalRespondents 195 60 15 30 300Percentage 65% 20% 5% 10% 100%-Global Journal of Human Social ScienceResponsesRespondentsPercentageSA15050%A13545%D155%SD-0%Total100100%© 2020 Global Journals 4 42ResponsesRespondentsPercentageSA27993%A155%D-0%Year 2020SD Total6 1002% 100%36Volume XX Issue VIII Version IX 2 = ? fo-fe 2 Fe( H )-Global Journal of Human Social ScienceFo 210 25 Fe 75 25 15 25 -Fo -Fe 185 50 -20(Fo -Fe) 2 Fo -Fe Fe 34,225 1,369 2,500 100 -100 -42© 2020 Global Journals 43Number of rowsNumber of columnsAt three (3) degrees of freedom with a 0.05significance level, the table value of chi-square is 7.81.The calculated Chi-Square, as seen in table 2, is 478. Year 202037Fo 195 25 Fe 60 25 15 25 30 25 300 100Fo -Fe 170 35 -10 5 Total(Fo -Fe) 2 Fo -Fe 2 Fe 28,900 1,156 1,225 49 100 4 25 1 ? 1,210Volume XX Issue VIII Version I( H )Global Journal of Human Social Science -© 2020 Global Journals 44 FoFeFo -Fe(Fo -Fe) 2 Fo -Fe 2 Fe195 2517028,9001,1566025351,225491525-10100430Year 202038Volume XX Issue VIII Version I( H )Global Journal of Human Social Science -© 2020 Global Journals 39( H ) © 2020 Global Journals We further stated that: i. There is a relationship between the practice of community policing and crime prevention/reduction in the study area. ii. There is a relationship between positive attitudes of residents/police officers and efficient community policing. iii. There is also a relationship between obstacles of community policing and a vigorous implementation of community policing in the study area. ## VII. ## Recommendations Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are hypothesized: i. To effectively implement community policing, an adequate number of police officers should be engaged for a particular area. These officers must undergo suitable training to upgrade and scale up their knowledge and skill on crime management issues in general and community policing implementation in particular. ii. The state government and other related bodies should emphasize community policing program implementation in all local government areas. iii. The government should make available enough budget and essential materials necessary for the effective implementation of community policing. iv. Traditional associations and local groups should be amalgamated as one structure in community policing strategy since assessing residents are possible with these associations. v. Mobilizing a society towards peacebuilding and crime prevention must be consistent and should not be a one-time activity; rather, frequently and in an organized and pre-scheduled manner. vi. 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