Exploring Citizens Perception of the Police Role and Function in a Post-Colonial Nation

Michael Mathura ()
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Michael Mathura: School of Justice Studies, Liverpool Centre for Advanced Policing Studies, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 5UZ, UK

Social Sciences, 2022, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: Before attempting to develop productive and harmonious working relationships between citizens and the police in a post-colonial society such as Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), it is imperative to initially gain a more precise understanding of the role and function of the police. This qualitative study suggested that the current role and function of officers is parallel to the colonial model of policing, where officers operated in a paramilitary manner. This model of policing was concerned with law enforcement and public order duties, which was highlighted as counterproductive for police and public relations. The model was also popular for police treatment based on citizens socioeconomic status. The results of this study suggest that police officers should implement a Service Oriented Policing approach (SOP), which could allow police officers to become proactively involved with communities and citizens, build stronger and increasingly productive relationships and be more effective and efficient as an institution.

Keywords: Trinidad and Tobago; policing; role and function; service oriented policing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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