Community Policing And Crime Prevention: Evaluating The Role Of Traditional Leaders Under Chief Madliwa In Nkayi District, Zimbabwe

Abstract

Community policing is a strategic consideration for contemporary policing, especially when police organisations worldwide increasingly seek cost-effective and sustainable methods of combating crime. The principle of community policing recognises the community and its leaders as equal partners in the prevention and reduction of crime. Hence, there is a need for research to interrogate how different police organisations have considered community policing as a panacea to their policing challenges. This study sought to evaluate the role of traditional leaders in community policing and crime prevention in the community of Chief Madliwa, Nkayi District in Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe. Interviews were carried out with eight village heads, four headmen and three key informants. Four focus group discussions were conducted to collect the villagers’ insight on the role of traditional leaders in community policing and crime prevention. Participants were identified using purposive and convenience sampling. The findings revealed that community policing is an effective strategy for crime prevention and that traditional leaders play a pivotal role in the success of community policing and crime prevention. Traditional leaders play an integral role in the recruitment of members of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee, assist with organising the business community to cooperate with the police in the fight against crime and play an important role in organising the community to attend crime awareness campaigns arranged by the police.

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Published: 2019-11-04
Pages:109 to 122
Section:Articles
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How to Cite
Zikhali, W. (2019) “Community Policing And Crime Prevention: Evaluating The Role Of Traditional Leaders Under Chief Madliwa In Nkayi District, Zimbabwe”, International Journal for Crime, Justice and Social Democracy, 8(4), pp. 109-122. doi: 10.5204/ijcjsd.v8i4.1179.

Author Biography

National University of Science and Technology
 Zimbabwe

Dr Whitehead Zikhali is a Zimbabwean Social Scientist, currently working for United Nations in Sudan as the Information Analyst, Research and Reports Officer. He has over the years, researched and lectured variously at Colleges and Universities in Zimbabwe. He worked for United Nations Secretariat in New York as the Mission Manager (2007-2011), responsible for giving strategic advice to the UN field missions and the Secretariat Senior Leadership. He has also consulted variously for SADC in areas of Peace and Conflict, Gender mainstreaming, Poverty reduction Strategies, Community Development and Peace and Security. Dr Whitehead Zikhali graduated from the University of Zimbabwe with a Diploma and B.Ed. Adult Education. He also graduated with an MSc in Policy Studies from the Universities of Zimbabwe and Fort Hare, a regional programme accredited by the two Institutions. He earned his PhD in Development Studies from the University of Fort Hare in South Africa. Dr Whitehead Zikhali ’s PhD focuses on “Women in Organizational Management in Zimbabwe: Theory and Practice”, converted and published into a book by Lambert publishers in Germany. He is a renowned scholar who has published papers in peer reviewed journals and two books. His research interests include natural resources management, rural development, livelihoods, human development, Gender equality, Peace and conflict and capacity building.