Community policing or zero tolerance? Preferences of police officers from 22 countries in transition
Community policing or zero tolerance? Preferences of police officers from 22 countries in transition
Article Type: Perspectives on policing From: Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, Volume 33, Issue 1
C. LumBritish Journal of CriminologyVol. 292009pp. 788-809
Lum (2009) is examined the amount of support for community policing and zero tolerance policing in countries transitioning to democracy. With an increase in the spread of democracy, Lum (2009) explored the preferences of police management staff. This research was especially important given the popularity of both forms of policing in the USA.
Lum (2009) interviewed 315 police supervisors at the International Law Enforcement Academy. These officers represented 22 different countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, South America, and Central America. The study’s dependent variable was the amount of support for community policing. Respondents who gave more favorable support for community policing over zero tolerance policing were coded as 1 and those who did not were coded as 0. Hierarchical linear modeling was the principle analytical technique. The following variables were used at the individual-level:
preference for community policing;
age; and
region.
At the country level, explanatory variables were divided into three groups:
- 1.
consolidation;
- 2.
aid; and
- 3.
population.
Consolidation factors included freedom score, polity score, percent urban population, an economic indicator, and life expectancy. Aid was measured as the amount of foreign aid per capita. Population was measured as a count of the population and population density. The study also used a polity durability score and a World Health Organization intentional death statistic.
Lum (2009) found that countries that scored higher on freedom indices were more likely to support community policing over zero tolerance. Additionally,countries that had higher gross domestic product per capita, greater life expectancy, and more urbanization were more likely to favor community policing. Regionally, there were some differences. Commanders in Latin and South America expressed a greater preference for community policing than commanders in Eastern Europe or Central Asia. Lum (2009) argues that this finding is most likely due to when democratization began in those regions. Democratization began earlier in Latin and South America than in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Daniel LytleUniversity of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
