Community-based Policing in Isiolo, Kenya
Located in Kenya´s vast pastoral North-Eastern region, once known as the country’s “arms supermarket” and a “no go zone” due to insecurity, Isiolo has recently experienced a significant reduction in armed violence.
This is largely due to a community-based policing project, which has been developed and implemented by Saferworld, in collaboration with its local partner, the Kenyan NGO network PeaceNet. Since 2003, when Isiolo was chosen as one of two pilot sites for the Kenyan government’s community-based policing (CBP) programme, the Kenya Police have reported a significant reduction in cattle-rustling and other serious crimes as well as the reopening of local businesses and schools. One local government officer remarked: “You cannot do development work without security. Before CBP was introduced in Isiolo, gunshots were a common occurrence. But now, things have changed for the better.’’
Policing in Kenya faces considerable challenges including: low public trust in police, resource limitations, delays in development and ratification of national policy and frequent staff rotation within the police. The CBP programme, as part of police reform in Kenya, aims to introduce a new approach to policing.
Trust building through discussions of security concerns
By joining together local communities, civil society, the provincial administration and the police, CBP seeks to develop local solutions to the security and safety concerns of affected communities. The project began by raising awareness and support for the philosophy and principles of CBP throughout Isiolo. Through a community-based policing forum (CPF), the stakeholders identified three objectives for the program: to prevent crime; improve community safety; and reduce the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Weekly barazas (open fora) and monthly community safety fora were organized to encourage discussion about security and safety concerns between the local community, local government and security agencies. This collaborative method increased trust between the police and local community, by encouraging communication between stakeholders. The project stressed the message: “Security Starts with You”. Thus, community based policing also fostered a spirit of cooperation, in which citizens have obligations, as well as enjoy rights.
Boreholes and bridges: positive spin off projects
This ethic of volunteerism has translated into collaborative training activities and patrols by community members and police, increasing citizen crime reports, as well as voluntary surrender of illegal small arms to the district Peace Building and Conflict Management Office. The growing partnership between government representatives and the local community has also had positive spin-off effects. For example, local stakeholders are now engaged in the design of development projects, such as boreholes and bridges in the district.
Despite successes, Saferworld’s Community-Based Policing Officer, James Ndung’u, cautioned that CBP projects should not be viewed as a “silver bullet”. He stressed the importance of national context, as well as local needs. Moreover, CBP´s model included extensive public consultations, which were organized before implementation of the pilot project.
Saferworld and PeaceNet also emphasized the importance of capacity- builiding of the local community to interact with police. From an initial testing area of 6 km2, the Isiolo CBP project has considerably expanded, with communities in neighbouring districts eager to initiate their own community policing projects.
* Research Associate at the Centre for International Policy Studies at the University of Ottawa, and a Global Youth Fellow of the Gordon Foundation.
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No wonder why Police are
No wonder why Police are seeing reduction in crimes, Community-based policing if properly used can be useful in achieving transparency within Police organization, can help Police to regain their public trust and overall help them resolve targets which wouldn't have been possible alone.
It is a good initiative which is good for a developing Kenya as security issues can really hinder a progress of any country.
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The growing partnership
The growing partnership between government representatives and the local
community has also had positive spin-off effects. For example, local
stakeholders are now engaged in the design of development projects, such
as boreholes and bridges in the district.
Admirable progress on security but more ought to be done
I am not supprised by the somewhat prevailing security in Isiolo nowadays... what i cant realy tell is what motivated the people's compliance and support for the community policing initiative. Some would argue that everybody was just tired of sleep-less nights and ghost neighbourhoods while others belive that the kenya police and the sponsor NGO's such as the peacenet and the Nomadic vision for life (NOVIL) had brought home their intention and toiled to have the idea accepted and appretiated by locals. The trueth nevertheless (in my openion) lies not in either of the proposition but the people. The residents had already had enough and were ready to go to any depth to buy the peace they so much needed.
This craving for peace was especially motivated by the integration of the local population with settler groups who came as civil servants, workers and businessmen and had seen the potential of these arid region and hence were determined to initiate peace and stability in collaboration with the indigineous people for the best interest of their ambitions.
All in all... what matters most is prevelance of peace and stability hence lets not just assume that the dis-armament program by the internal security ministry and the community policing will wipe out all guns in our neighborhoods and guarantee safety for all livestock owners. It is true that cattle raids are still a real threat and loss of lives by the same acts is yet to be tamed.
excellent and inspirational article, any updates?
Christina,
I'm currently working on a proposal for a trade show exhibit booth design for an international agency, and found your article while doing some research searching on google. I've got to say it is great to read something so positive with all the negative news these days. I'm glad to hear this program is working out, and would like to hear if there are any updates on it's success. Scott
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