Community policing in the Caribbean: Context, community and police capability

Examines community policing as a relatively new policing feature in the Caribbean. Compares the key expectations of such policies with the officers’ understanding of what such policing means to them. The community policing policy is then assessed against the background of public opinion. Data are then derived from two levels of community policing officers to assess the extent to which the climate in the police service organisation is facilitative for such a new policy of policing. Specific “internal organisation factors” are examined – organisational readiness, individual learning ability and team spiritedness – which will in turn serve as benchmarks for continuous improvement. These data would be useful for increasing community support, enhancing the human resource capability and improving the operations of the organisation and officers themselves, all critical for effective community policing within the region.