Effect of Leadership Styles on Implementation of Community Policing in Isiolo County, Kenya

Abstract

Community policing is a global endeavor that has grown to be a common inspiration in the fight against crime since 1970s. Kenya adopted this concept in 2005 as a national security strategy to enhance the public’s security, bring down criminal activities and establish favorable and safe environments. Despite this important step in combating insecurity, there seems to be little impact on the ground. The crime rate continues to be high. The implementation of the strategy has faced challenges right from the conceptualization. As such, it has not been effectively domiciled. The main purpose of the study was to assess the leadership styles and implementation of community policing in Isiolo County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: to establish the relationship between transformational leadership style and implementation of community policing in Isiolo County, to determine the effect of transactional leadership style on implementation of community policing in Isiolo County, Kenya and to explore the effect of laissez-faire leadership style on implementation of community policing in Isiolo County, Kenya. The study utilized the Full Range Leadership Development model which describes the effectiveness or ineffectiveness as well as the frequency of exercise among organization officials. This study adopted a cross sectional survey research design in which all the Managers/leaders of community policing in Isiolo County formed the target population of 2169. Stratified and simple random sampling methods were used. The population was stratified intro strata to match the police rank and file. Simple random sampling was used to obtain the respondents from each stratum. The sample size was 139 respondents from the target population of 2169. Questionnaires, both closed and open-ended, were used in the collection of quantitative primary data while qualitative data was collected using FGD and interview schedules. Data analysis was done using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found out a positive effect of transformational leadership style and community policing implementation but a negative relationship between transactional leadership style, Laissez faire leadership style and community policing implementation. The study recommended the national community policing body in Kenya to consider carrying out seminars, trainings and conferences that would empower the senior policing officers in Isiolo County, inculcating transformational leadership.