A coalition of Latin American researchers has released a study that examined the effectiveness of community policing in nations such as Brazil, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
Community policing has often been incorporated into many societies to establish social order and control. However, its use has also been called into question.
As published in the journal Science, the international research team found that community policing is ineffective in boosting trust and decreasing the crime rate.
“Evidence from developed countries suggests that community policing improves police legitimacy and trust and sometimes reduces crime. But systematic evidence from developing countries is virtually nonexistent,” the study states.
“Contrary to prior evidence, the study finds that community policing did not improve trust between citizens and the police, nor did it reduce crime.”
The study was published online on November 25th, 2021.
