dc.description.abstract |
Police service delivery in society has always come under sharp criticism globally. This has
necessitated reforms to the service to align it to its roles and core functions which are critical
for national development. This study examined the influence of the police service reforms on
service delivery. The specific objectives; examine the effects of facilitation, public trust, and
police attitude and responsiveness, on service delivery. A pragmatic research philosophy was
adapted to guide the study. The study was anchored on New Public Management (NPM)
theory, the motive-based theory, and the conflict theory. An explanatory sequential research
design employing mixed method approach was applied. The design was Quan + Qual
whereby the quantitative component drove the concurrent design. The target population was
2100 police officers, a sample of 214 police officers and a corresponding 105 members of the
public participated in the study. In addition, 11 key informants were purposively selected.
Questionnaires and a key informant interview guides were used to collect primary data.
Qualitative data was analysed thematically, and excerpts reported in verbatim, while
quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings on the
demographic characteristics indicated that most (41%) of the police respondents had served
in the police for a period of 6 to 10 years. In terms of the ranks 68% of the respondent officers
were in higher ranks with a corresponding more experience hence, enhanced in-service
delivery. There was no significant relationship between police facilitation and service
delivery (r=0.036, p=0.601). Police reforms increased police mobility (60%), in terms of
vehicles, motor bikes and other modes of transport. Further, the majority (64%) of the
respondent officers asserted that physical infrastructure in place could not support police
operations at the station level. On police officers vetting, 54 per cent of the respondents
believed that it had fairly facilitated service delivery. However, according to the key
informant interviews, 2000 officers have been vetted but majority of those recommended for
removal have found their way back into the service through litigation process requiring fair
administrative services. The NPSC is financially challenged to discharge its mandate.
Members of the public have refused to participate in the vetting process with less than 10%
giving their views. Findings on public trust and service delivery were not also statistically
significant (r=-0.122, p=0.074). This finding is supported by the majority (94%) of the
members of the public who lacked trust in the police service. The relationship between police
attitude and responsiveness and service delivery were not significant (r=0.060, p=0.382). The
majority (51%) of respondents believed there was no improvement in the relationship
between the community and the police officers after the reforms while the majority (77%)
perception on the working environment was not good even after the reforms. In conclusion
police service facilitation, public trust and police attitude and responsiveness had no influence
on service delivery and the police reforms currently being undertaken by NPS had no effect
on service delivery. The study recommends development of a policy on policing and
infrastructure upgrading. Police officers should be sensitized on the strategic orientation of
the service and legal mandates. A holistic implementation of career guidelines on promotion
of officers, retraining of officers on human rights and emerging security threats, sensitization
of police officers on reforms and body and dash camera be introduced to enhance
accountability and transparency among officers. The public should be more involved in the
vetting process of police officers as the reform process as it is an undertaking that needs time,
requires resources (physical, emotional, and attitudinal. |
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