Exploring Concept of Community Policing In Kisii Presented by: Rapudo Hawi Wednesday, February 05, 2014 at USIU
May 25, 2015
Exploring Concept of Community Policing
In Kisii
Presented by: Rapudo Hawi
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
at USIU
Introduction
• Sanchez-Jankowski (1991) notes Gangs as "formal-rational" organizations with rules, roles, and goals, and function as purposive social organizations.
• Shrouded in secrecy, sungusungu, known to recruit exclusively from the local Gusii community started in Bonchari constituency in Kisii Central in the 1990s
Police and Community Policing riding together
to quell Pro-box Toyota Car Strike at Kisii Bus
Park on March /28/2012
Philosophy
•Threats of Violence and Crime in Kisii played a role in the origin, growth, daily activities, and belief systems of now called “CP”
•It was part of the community "myth" to create protection as well as unity.
Case Handled By CP Kisii
1. Civil Case on refusing to Make Cement Blocks OB 55/30/4/2013
2. Agreement to Repay Stolen Money – OB/61/8/5/2013
3. Damaged Mkokoteni
4. Repayment of debts for Motor Bike
Usalama Kisii Safety Audit 2011
• 84% Know of vigilantes existence
• 82% joined gangs for finances
• 52% paid for protective services
• 50% exposed to violence
• 55% agree that the groups work with
the chief
• 32% high likelihood of victimization
•Victims dissatisfied with Policing
Services as they took too long
Dialogue with Community Policing Members and Village
Elders at Kisii Nyanchwa Chief on the May /2/ 2013
Other Facts ……….
“Sungusungu” is most prominent
Reasons why youth join gangs; to get finances easily,
Outstanding communal factors leading young people to join gangs were: Unemployment and alcohol & drug abuse
Relationship between youths and crime: Both are perpetrators and victims of crime and violence
Access to drugs and substances easy
Youth aged 18-24 years and 25-35 years
responsible for drug abuse
Youth aged 25-35 years & Adult aged 36-50
years responsible for drugs trafficking
Main factors driving youths to drug abuse: peer
pressure, availability of substances, self
experimentation, low sense of personality &
family habit to abuse drugs
Reengineering Our Thinking
OLD
The State v. the Offender
Offender breaking the criminal code
Solution:
Punishment and Deterrence
Change offenders’ disposition to commit crime
Victim Offender
Situation
NEW
Solution:
Intervene in the situation/ risk factors that produces crime
Usalama Proposals Beyond 2014
1) Awareness on the formal justice and security system and process- Public education and Training for CP
2) Engage local community and victims of crime with formal justice and security actors- Tracking and reporting on impact of CP
3) Transformation of the local informal justice and security initiatives to be less violent and be more fair and just – Code of Conduct for CP