Community Policing Strategies in Counter-terrorism Initiatives in Garissa County, Kenya, the Significance of Community Intelligence
Loading...
Date
2023
Authors
Mutugi, Fredrick Kimathi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
JAIS
Abstract
Garissa County, located in northeastern Kenya, has experienced a significant number of
terrorist attacks in recent years. The most notable of these attacks occurred in 2015 when AlShabaab militants attacked Garissa University College, killing 148 people, most of whom
were students. These attacks caused significant damage to the region's social and economic
fabric, undermining development and social cohesion efforts. In response to these attacks, the
Kenyan government implemented various counter-terrorism initiatives, including deploying
security forces and implementing policies and legislation. However, these efforts have
limited success in preventing future attacks, primarily due to a lack of community
involvement. Community policing strategies have emerged as an effective approach to
enhancing community involvement in counter-terrorism efforts. Community policing
involves building partnerships between law enforcement agencies and the community to
prevent crime and address community concerns. In the context of counter-terrorism,
community policing strategies involve working with community members to identify and
report suspicious activities, promoting community resilience, and enhancing trust and
communication between law enforcement and the community. Community intelligence plays
a vital role in community policing strategies. This is because community members are often
the first to observe suspicious activities and report them to law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, community intelligence provides valuable information to law enforcement
agencies in preventing terrorist attacks and identifying the individuals involved. Garissa
County has implemented various community policing strategies in its counter-terrorism
initiatives, including establishing community policing units, conducting community
sensitization programs, and partnering with civil society organizations. However, there is a
need to enhance these strategies to ensure greater community involvement and the effective
use of community intelligence in preventing future attacks. Community policing strategies
emerge as an effective approach to enhancing community involvement in counter-terrorism
efforts. This study examines the role of community policing strategies in counter-terrorism
initiatives in Garissa County, focusing on the significance of community intelligence in
identifying and preventing terrorist activities. The study employed a mixed-methods
approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The study's
findings indicated that community intelligence plays a significant role in countering
terrorism, contributing to the literature on community policing strategies and counterterrorism initiatives and provide policymakers and practitioners with evidence-based
recommendations for enhancing counter-terrorism initiatives in Garissa County and other
regions facing similar challenges. Ultimately, this research improves on community policing
strategies to enhance the effectiveness of counter-terrorism initiatives and prevent future
attacks in Garissa County, Kenya through investing in technology and human resource to
gather intelligence.
Description
Article
Keywords
Kenya, Garissa County, Community Policing, Counter-terrorism, Community Intelligence
Citation
Mutugi, F. K. (2023). Community Policing Strategies in Counter-terrorism Initiatives in Garissa County, Kenya: The Significance of Community Intelligence. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 7(3), 17 – 28.