Volume 12 - Issue 69
/ September 2023
227
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.69.09.20
Veselov, M., Holodnyk, Y., Svoboda, I., Horbach-Kudria, I., & Beikun, A. (2023). Effectiveness of administrative and legal
mechanisms for the implementation of community police in EU countries: the case of Ukraine. Amazonia Investiga, 12(69),
227-238. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.69.09.20
Effectiveness of administrative and legal mechanisms for the
implementation of community police in EU countries: the case of
Ukraine
Ефективність адміністративно-правових механізмів впровадження Community
Police в країнах ЄС: приклад України
Received: January 16, 2023 Accepted: March 30, 2023
Written by:
Mykola Veselov1
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3963-2764
Yurii Holodnyk2
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8051-1473
Ivo Svoboda3
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0941-4686
Ivanna Horbach-Kudria4
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8640-2486
Andrii Beikun5
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4895-1361
Abstract
The Community Policing model is an approach
to public safety that focuses on collaboration
between police and the community. This model
has been implemented in many EU countries, and
the objective of this study is to analyze their
experience. The study used the formal-legal
method, the comparative-legal method, the
content analysis method and statistical
observation. As a result of the research carried
out, the main tools to introduce the concept of
Community Policing in the United Kingdom,
Netherlands, Denmark and France were
characterized. It was established that these tools
aim to engage the public in collaboration,
education and instruction of law enforcement
personnel, providing guidance and consultation
to citizens, as well as analysis and deterrence of
criminal activities. Various forms of police
interaction with the public in the United
1
Doctor of Science in Law, Professor, Department of State and Legal Disciplines, Faculty No 2, Kryvyi Rih Educational and Scientific
Institute, Donetsk State University of Internal Affairs, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: AAZ-6688-2021
2
PhD in Law, Associate Professor, Department of Criminal Justice, Educational and Scientific Institute of Law, State Tax University,
Irpin, Ukraine.
3
Associate Professor, Guarantor of Security Management Studies, AMBIS, a.s. Vyská škola, Česka republika, Praha.
WoS Researcher ID: CBV-4475-2022
4
PhD in Law, Senior Lecturer, Department of Police Law, National Academy of Internal Affairs, Kyiv, Ukraine.
WoS Researcher ID: AAC-1248-2022
5
PhD in Law, Associate Professor, Department of Legal Support of National Guard of Ukraine, Faculty of State Security, Kyiv
Institute of the National Guard of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine. WoS Researcher ID: JDW-1712-2023
228
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Kingdom are examined and the official website
of the country's police service is characterized as
a good example of an electronic platform for
interaction with citizens. The results of the study
can be applied by law enforcement agencies to
optimize the implementation of the Community
Policing concept, taking into account
international experience. Future research may
highlight the specific forms of, in particular, the
Neighborhood Watch Network and the Home
Watch Network.
Keywords: Community Policing, police-
community interaction, administrative and legal
tools, "Neighbourhood Watch", public safety,
crime rate.
Introduction
Community policing can be defined as a law
enforcement model focused on building strong
partnerships and collaboration between police
officers and the communities they serve. The
main goal of the strategy is to create a more
inclusive environment for cooperation, where
law enforcement agencies and the community
work together to prevent and solve security
problems, strengthening mutual trust and
understanding.
The primary goal of any country's police service
is to ensure public safety and reduce crime.
Nevertheless, contemporary socio-economic
processes necessitate an evaluation of the current
protocols implemented by law enforcement
entities (Charalambous et al., 2019). One of the
innovative methodologies currently gaining
traction in developed nations, including the
European Union (EU), is the concept of
Community Policing (Skogan, 2019; Kutnjak
Ivković et al., 2020; Oosthuizen, 2021). This
approach involves proactive measures aimed at
predicting and preventing crimes through close
cooperation with the community (Medvedenko,
2019; Malone & Dammert, 2021). Community
Policing models are based on mutual trust
between the community and the police and are
implemented by establishing effective
communication between these parties (Mills et
al., 2021). This communication encompasses
both counselling and raising awareness of the
community as well as proactive engagement of
volunteers in cooperation with the police.
Successful examples of Community Policing
implementation in developed economies
function alongside the unsuccessful experiences
of individual states (Davis et al., 2003; Connell
et al., 2008; Blair et al., 2021). The challenges of
implementing Community Policing in such
nations are linked to various distinct factors,
encompassing cultural, political, socioeconomic
and additional features (Schlosser et al., 2021).
Not the final factor contributing to Community
Policing success is the level of public trust in law
enforcement agencies, which is considerably
influenced by the history of police corruption and
aggressive actions of police officers against
citizens (Elphick et al., 2021; Kammersgaard et
al., 2023). Accordingly, the implementation of
the underlying concept should be preceded by an
applicable evaluation of social dynamics,
cultural features of the community, views of
separate individuals and other socio-political
features.
The current study examines the administrative
and legal instruments used in the EU countries
during the implementation of the Community
Policing concept. The experience of the UK, the
Netherlands, Denmark and France was explored
and a particular emphasis was placed on specific
tools that could be considered for adaptation in
other countries and the future change in terms of
the policing landscape thereof. Ukraine is taken
as an example of an emerging economy but
nevertheless having prospects for the
Community Policing to be successfully
implemented.
The purpose of the article is to examine the
experience of the EU countries in terms of
utilizing administrative and legal instruments to
Veselov, M., Holodnyk, Y., Svoboda, I., Horbach-Kudria, I., Beikun, A. / Volume 12 - Issue 69: 227-238 / September, 2023
Volume 12 - Issue 69
/ September 2023
229
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
implement the Community Policing model and
adapt it in other countries following the example
of Ukraine. To that end, the following research
tasks were addressed in the article:
to highlight the key administrative and legal
instruments for implementing the Community
Policing model in individual EU countries;
to reveal the experience of the UK regarding the
implementation of various forms of police-
community interaction;
to evaluate Ukraine's readiness for further
elaboration of the Community Policing model
within the framework of legislative support and
the level of citizens' trust in police authorities.
It is assumed that as a result of the research, the
following results will be obtained: firstly, the
main approaches and strategies to the
introduction of Community Policing in
individual countries, in particular, Great Britain,
the Netherlands, Denmark and France, will be
revealed. Secondly, the most successful practices
for the implementation of the Community
Policing model will be revealed as an example
for Ukraine. Thirdly, Ukraine's readiness to
introduce Community Policing will be assessed
in terms of the presence of favorable legal and
social conditions.
Literature Review
The scrutiny of scientific literature pertaining to
the application of Community Policing reveals
the pivotal function this approach plays in crime
reduction via preventive measures. Prokopenko
et al. (2021), while addressing the preventive
activities of the police in Sweden, emphasised
the effectiveness of the implementing the
Community Policing approach to strengthen the
proactive component of police activity. This
entails that the police activities should involve
not only responding to offences and crimes, but
also carrying out preventive measures to counter
these phenomena. In Sweden, this strategy is
executed through guidance directed towards
mitigating specific classes of criminal activity.
The primacy of "anticipatory" actions by police
authorities over reactive actions is also noted in
the article by Tsurkalenko (2021). Taking into
account the experience of Ukraine with regard to
the stage of reorganising the militia from a purely
repressive body into the police - as a body of
"round-the-clock service", the researcher
underscores that the vector of activity of the new
body has changed to crime prevention rather than
only responding to them. In his work, relevant
approaches and tools are revealed that take place
while implementing the Community Policing
concept.
On the other hand, Koper et al. (2020)
demonstrated through empirical research that the
scope of proactivity in policing is substantially
constrained in practice. Furthermore, there exist
significant obstacles to accurately evaluate
proactive measures, thus hindering the ability to
accurately assess the efficacy of Community
Policing.
Didyk and Kostovska (2020) center their
attention on the administrative and legal facets of
police-community interaction. Scholars
identified that society's adequate perception of
the police is a significant predicament. That
being said, the well-established communication
between the populace and law enforcement is
pivotal to Community Policing success and
achieving its main objective of impeding and
curbing crime magnitude. Currently, researchers
consider several factors as being relevant in
police interaction with communities, in
particular: prompt responsiveness to citizens'
reports, maintaining sustained communication,
tolerance for marginalised groups requiring
special attention, constant monitoring of societal
issues, adherence to the rule of law, protection of
human rights. The level of trust bestowed by
citizens upon the police serves as a vital criterion
for evaluating the activities of police entities.
Aston et al. (2023) identify specific factors that
contribute to the strengthening of public trust and
facilitate the information exchange with the
public. Such factors include as follows:
demonstrating aspects of fair interaction,
consisting of appropriate attitudes and behaviour,
personal contact and relationships, as well as
accessibility and relevant communication;
procedural justice, which includes security,
including protection of personal data, as well as
indicators of efficiency and effectiveness;
distributive justice, the essence of which is the
justice of distributing police services.
Schaap (2021), underscores the indispensability
of public trust in ensuring optimal police
operations and elucidates on strategies for
cultivating such trust. The scholar delineates the
intricacies inherent in this matter, associated with
a large number of factors, process participants,
uncertainty, communication errors, false
assumptions, selective blindness, culture and a
number of other factors. The research is based on
case studies of developing trust-building
strategies in countries such as England and
Wales, Denmark and the Netherlands.
230
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Akarsu (2020) explored the Community Policing
strategy in Turkey. Scholars note that this form
of policing, occurring primarily at the local level,
demonstrates the growing interaction of citizens
and the police. Community functions as auxiliary
police forces, contributing to the consolidation of
state power and enhanced state repression,
especially against "suspicious Others".
In a study carried out by Blair et al., (2021) with
the use of field experiments in the Global South
region, it was established that the introduction of
Community Policing practices does not have a
significant impact either on increasing citizens'
trust in the police or on reducing crime.In this
context, researchers underscore the crucial
significance of collecting empirical data on the
efficacy of Community Policing as most nations
are currently undergoing police reform,
especially in developing countries, countries
with high crime rate.
The multifaceted ways and results from
implementing the concept of Community
Policing, in particular in developed and transition
economies, were underscored in the study of de
Maillard and Terpstra (2021). Such diversity is
revealed by comparing the implementation of the
Community Policing model in various national
configurations: the Netherlands, open to Anglo-
American influences; Scandinavian countries
with a high level of trust in the police; centralised
France with her own administrative traditions, as
well as post-conflict societies such as Northern
Ireland and South Africa.
Madsen and Kammersgaard (2022) conducted
field research on resistance and perceptions of
Community Policing using the example of a
district in Denmark defined as a "ghetto".
Academics underscore the significance of
delving into citizens' perception of Community
Policing, and notably not only from the
perspective of personnel and the impact on the
policing practice. The scholars determined that,
notwithstanding the benevolence inherent in
specific law enforcement initiatives, the
responses of civilians to said efforts can vary
greatly.
Methodology
Research procedure
The research procedure consists of three
interrelated and mutually coordinated stages. At
the first stage, an analysis of administrative and
legal instruments for the implementation of the
Community Policing model in individual EU
countries was carried out. The major directions
of police operations, which are implemented with
the help of defined tools, were identified. The
following countries were considered: the UK, the
Netherlands, Denmark and France. These
countries were taken as interesting scientific
examples in connection with the following: the
UK has a long history of Community Policing
where trust in the police is somewhat taken for
granted. However, given the challenges and
changes in modern society, it is necessary to
constantly adapt strategies. In the Netherlands,
trust is seen as a valuable resource to be earned.
Here, the Community Policing approach meets
the needs of a demanding community and creates
a platform for active engagement. Denmark is a
clear positive example of police-community
relations. Trust among the population is built into
the perception of a prosperous state and a
disciplined community, which contributes to the
effective implementation of the concept of
Community Policing. In France, there are
challenges in police-community relations, but the
application of community policing principles
indicates some improvements.
The second stage is devoted to the characteristics
of various forms of police-community interaction
with citizens on the example of the UK. The
official website of the country's police service
was also shown to be a successful example of
introducing an electronic platform for interaction
between citizens and the police.
At the third stage, Ukraine's readiness for further
elaboration of the Community Policing concept
was evaluated. On the one hand, the legislative
consolidation of the foundations of police-
community interaction was noted, on the other
hand, the level of public trust in the National
Police and its dynamics over time were analysed.
Finally, drawing on the study findings, some
recommendations were proposed regarding the
introduction of the Community Policing concept
in Ukraine.
Sample
The sample for the current study comprises the
EU countries (namely, the UK, the Netherlands,
Denmark, France), the experience of introducing
Community Policing in which can be considered
the most successful. It is worth noting that the list
of countries with positive experience in the
researched issue is not limited to the specified
countries. However, these countries are bright
representatives of different approaches to
introducing the Community Policing concept. In
light of the above, the Netherlands tends to
Volume 12 - Issue 69
/ September 2023
231
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
follow Anglo-American traditions, Denmark
exhibits a remarkable degree of confidence in its
law enforcement agencies. and France has a more
centralised approach. As a matter of fact, the UK
is the country from which the concept of
Community Policing originates, and in which to
date this concept has reached a high level of
development due to the variety of forms of
interaction and ground-breaking expertise.
Ukraine was chosen as an example of an
emerging economy that has the potential to
successfully implement Community Policing.
Importantly, this choice is due to Ukraine's
European integration intentions as well as recent
considerable growth of the population's trust in
the police authorities. It is also worth noting
Ukraine's special need to ensure the safety of her
citizens in the context of the Russian Federation's
full-scale territorial invasion.
Methods
During the examination of administrative and
legal measures for implementing the Community
Policing model in EU member states, both formal
legal methodology and comparative legal
methodology were applied. The combination of
the said methods made it possible, on the one
hand, to briefly characterise the available
administrative and legal tools for the
implementation of the Community Policing
model in the studied country, and on the other -
by comparing them with each other, to identify
common directions that are implemented while
utilizing these tools.
To characterise the variety of forms that exist in
the UK for community-police interaction, the
method of content analysis was employed to
expound on the roles and capacities of volunteers
engaged in police activities. The study also
appraised the efficacy of the official website of
British law enforcement as a commendable
exemplar for its innovative application of
electronic communication channels with
citizens.
The formal legal method in combination with the
method of statistical observation enabled
assessing Ukraine's readiness for further
development of the Community Policing concept
from a legal standpoint, as well as from the
citizens’ perspective. The method of statistical
observation contains an assessment of the
fluctuations in the degree of community’s
confidence in the National Police for the period
from 2016 to 2023.
Results and discussion
Administrative and legal tools for implementing
the Community Policing model in individual EU
countries
The administrative and legal tools for
implementing the Community Policing model
differ in different countries depending on a
number of features. Those comprise cultural,
historical features, police history of engaging in
corrupt and aggressive behaviour, relations
between the state and the police, the police and
citizens, the level of crime and so on. It is
common knowledge that Community Policing
models work much more efficiently in developed
countries than in countries with emerging
economies. Therefore, despite the cultural,
economic, political and other features of each
specific country, it is expedient to pay attention
to the expertise of the EU countries, because it is
here that the concept of Community Policing
originated and underwent substantial evolution.
Figure 1 compares specific community policing
tools in some of the above countries.
The implementation of the Community Policing
model is subject to a range of administrative and
legal tools that vary across different countries.
These differences are influenced by a variety of
factors, including cultural and historical features,
the police force's history of corruption and
aggression, as well as the nature of relationships
between state authorities, law enforcement
agencies, citizens, and levels of crime within
each jurisdiction. It is generally accepted that
Community Policing models are more effective
in developed nations than in emerging
economies. Thus, despite variations in culture,
economics or politics among different countries
implementing this model; it is advisable to draw
on the expertise gained from EU countries where
Community Policing first originated and has
undergone significant evolution over time. The
figure below presents a comparison of specific
community policing tools utilized within several
relevant jurisdictions for reference purposes.
232
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Figure 1. Community Policing tools in individual European countries.
(elaborated by the author based on (Police.uk, 2023; CCV, 2023; European Commission, 2019; OSCE,
2023))
Having examined Figure 1, it becomes apparent
that the Community Policing models presented in
the above countries demonstrate both divergent
and convergent parametres. This knowledge can
be utilised to customise and implement the model
in other nations. Notably, these instruments can
be primarily categorised into groups with shared
vectors of action, including: public participation
in Community Policing; instruction and
preparation of law enforcement personnel;
provision of guidance and consultations; crime
analysis and deterrence:
− public engagement in Community Policing;
− instructing and training of police officers;
− provision of advice and consultations;
− crime analysis and prevention.
Public involvement in Community Policing is
implemented through such measures as, for
example, the creation of Community Safety
Partnerships that take care of safety at the
municipal level and involve local residents, as
well as through the formation of Community
Policing Teams that actively interact with the
community. Among other things, training and
instruction of police officers is aimed at
improving their communication skills for
effective cooperation with the community,
educating them on the necessity and tactics of
Community Policing. The provision of advice
and consultations is aimed at increasing citizens'
awareness of how to safeguard oneself from
criminal offences, what to do in the event of a
crime, and providing other informational
support. Crime monitoring and analysis is aimed
at crime prevention, including in areas where
crimes occur most frequently.
Experience of the UK
For a more profound understanding of all
possibilities and forms of police interaction with
citizens within the framework of the concept of
Community Policing, it is suggested to take into
account the example of the UK. Following
Brexit, the United Kingdom does not belong to
the EU, while during its stay in the union the
concept of Community Policing has undergone
significant development, representing one of the
most successful examples of police interaction
with the public. The official website of the UK
Police (Police.uk, 2023) offers a wide range of
forms of interaction with the police for citizens
wishing to become volunteers (Table 1).
The UK
•Community police
services
•Community Safety
Partnerships
•Community
Policing Teams
•Training and
Instruction
Programs for
Police Officers
•Consultations and
Cooperation with
the Community
The Netherlands
•Municipal Security
Councils
(Veiligheidshuizen)
•Community Policing
Teams
•Interactive Programs
and Web Platforms
•Instruction and
Training for Police
Officers
•Crime Analysis and
Prevention
Denmark
•Community Safety
Partnerships
(Sikkkerhedsfora)
•Community Policing
Teams
(Lokalpolitienheder)
•Instruction and
Training for Police
Officers
•Consultations and
Dialogue with
Community
•Crime Prevention
Programs
France
•Municipal Security
Councils (Conseils
Locaux de Sécurité
et de Prévention de
la Délinquince)
•Community
Policing Teams
(Brigades de
proximité)
•Community Police
Prefects
•Crime Monitoring
and Analysis
•Information
Campaigns and
Public Control
Volume 12 - Issue 69
/ September 2023
233
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
Table 1.
Forms of interaction with the police for citizens wishing to become volunteers in the UK (elaborated by the
author drawing on Police.uk, 2023)
Form of interaction
Content
pecial constabularyS
Special Constables are volunteers who were trained to work with and support local police.
A special constable can be a person from any profession who is willing to volunteer at
least four hours a week to the local police. An important function of special constabulary
is to establish a connection between the state police force and the local community.
Special constables have the same powers as full-time officers and also wear a regular
uniform, after completing the training phase.
Police Support
Volunteers – PSVs
Police Support Volunteers are recruited from citizens who are willing to volunteer their
time to perform tasks, helping to free up officers and police personnel for core operational
duties. Such volunteers can perform various tasks: provide medical services, deal with
administration, follow up on crime reports and incidents with members of the public.
Neighbourhood
Watch and Home
Watch Network
(NHWN)
Neighbourhood Watch and Home Watch Network are neighbourhood associations formed
with the aim of strengthening communities, improving friendly relations within such
associations, potentially contributing to the reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour.
This network provides participants with resources needed for meetings, schemes
initiation, know-how exchange, etc. Currently, there are more than 170,000 NHWN
schemes in England and Wales.
Crimestoppers
Crimestoppers is an independent charity whose main aim is to find and solve criminals.
The organization provides an anonymous telephone number that citizens can call 24 hours
a day to report crimes. Also, it is possible to inform the organization anonymously
through the Crimestoppers website. The organization has more than 500 volunteers.
Street Pastors
A street pastor is a leader/minister or member of the Church. Such individuals are ready to
communicate with people on the streets, encouraging them to listen and dialogue. These
figures broadcast the Church's interdenominational response to problems existing in a
certain community. They pay special attention to work with young people who feel
marginalised.
Street Angels
Street Angels operate in different cities across the UK and work on specific issues relating
to the night time economy in city centres on Friday and Saturday nights and are linked
through the Christian Nightlife Initiatives Network.
National
Assossiation of
Chaplains to the
Police
Police chaplains care for individuals in all departments and can provide critical input to
the organization in decision-making. Chaplains are recruited from all denominations; they
can volunteer for at least two hours a week.
Victim Support
Victim Support is a national charity that offers confidential and complimentary assistance
to individuals impacted by criminal activity, including victims, witnesses, their family,
and other affected parties. Most of the participants are volunteers, whose number is
almost four times greater than the number of employees.
Community
Speedwatch
Community Speedwatch is a scheme aimed at reducing road speed through awareness and
control of the problem at local level, implemented through the cooperation of volunteers
and the police.
Independent Custody
Visitors
Independent Custody Visitors include members of the public whose task is to review the
custody standards. The task is implemented through regular unannounced visits to check
the conditions of custody.
Independent
Advisory Groups
Independent Advisory Groups are groups of community representatives who meet
regularly with the police, providing community feedback and community views to the
police.
Police Consultation
Efforts
It is mandated that all law enforcement facilities must implement measures to obtain the
views of the local community regarding the activities of the local police, which enables
community participation in the development of police policy.
Citizens in Policing
Citizens in Policing is a general term applied to the thousands of people across the UK
who volunteer their time to support the police.
Actually, the Police.uk website deserves special
attention due to its wide functionality, which
provides visitors with the following
opportunities:
− provides information regarding the available
avenues for contacting law enforcement in
relation to the degree of urgency, whether
immediate or non-emergent, via telephone,
both online and anonymously;
− informs about options for contacting the
police in terms of urgency or if the situation
is not urgent by phone
234
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
− provides information about support services
for children and youth, offenders and their
families, victims and witnesses, businesses;
− discloses information about existing types of
offences and crimes and provides applicable
counselling;
− defines the policing mechanism of the nation
and specific localities;
− provides statistics of committed crimes for
recent periods and a cartographic
representation denoting the frequency of
criminal activity within specified regions,
etc.
The provided description of the administrative
and legal tools of Community Policing provides
ample opportunities for analysis, selection and
adaptation of the most appropriate tools to the
practice of other countries. It is important to bear
in mind that the efficacy of enacting the overall
concept hinges less on the selection of tools and
techniques, but on establishing communication
with the community, taking into account the
differences between regions, as well as particular
individuals and groups.
Evaluation of Ukraine's preparedness
Ukraine belongs to emerging economies, hence
the introduction of the Community Policing
concept may face more significant obstacles than
in developed countries. However, Ukraine's
European integration intentions, as well as
significant threats to the security situation in the
country, related to the full-scale invasion of the
Russian Federation on its territory, necessitate
more decisive steps in the direction of ensuring
the safety of citizens, including through their
communication and cooperation with the police.
Therefore, an important scholarly enquiry is the
study of Ukraine's preparedness for more active
development of Community Policing in current
conditions.
The need for interaction and cooperation
between the police and citizens on the basis of
partnership is defined in the Law of Ukraine "On
the National Police" (hereinafter - the Law)
(Safety in the community, 2023; Law of Ukraine
No. 580-VIII, 2023). Article 11 of the Law states
that police activities must be carried out in close
interaction and cooperation with the population,
territorial communities and public associations
on the basis of partnership and aimed at meeting
their needs. Further, the Law specifies that the
particular region and the problems of territorial
communities should be taken into account when
planning police activities, thus enabling to
identify the reasons or conditions for committing
crimes. The key criterion for evaluating the
effectiveness of police bodies and units is defined
in the Law as the level of public trust, which is
evaluated by autonomous sociological agencies
in a corresponding method (Law of Ukraine
No. 580-VIII, 2023). Figure 2 shows the
dynamics of the level of public trust in the police
in Ukraine.
Figure 2. Dynamics of the level of trust of Ukrainians in the National Police
(elaborated by the author based on (Slovo i dilo, 2023))
As can be seen from Figure 2, for the six
consecutive years preceding the large-scale invasion, the level of Ukrainians’ trust in the
National Police was not too high and did not
24,6 39,3 32,9 46,1 33 38,5
68,2 59,2
63,5 46,2 55,4 38,8 57,9 52,9
24,2 30,4
11,9 14,4 11,7 15,1 9,1 8,5 7,7 10,4
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Trust Do not trust Hard to say
Volume 12 - Issue 69
/ September 2023
235
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
exceed 46.1%. However, after the onset of the
invasion, this rate increased significantly,
reaching a record high of 68.2% in 2022, and
declining slightly in 2023 to 59.2%. Thus, at the
current stage in Ukraine, favourable conditions
have been created for the development of
Community Policing both at the legislative level
and from the point of view of citizens' readiness.
Based on the analysis of foreign experience, the
following are the possible directions of the
government's further actions in this area:
− developing websites and platforms in each
locality, which, following the UK example,
will allow the public to report crime, raise
awareness and consider volunteering
initiatives;
− providing round-the-clock avenues for
citizen expression, including anonymous
channels, while also guaranteeing
comprehensive review of all appeals;
− developing initiatives that facilitate
communication with disenfranchised youth;
− further elaborating the NHWN concept
taking into account national characteristics,
etc.
Discussion
In view of the conducted investigation, the best
practices regarding the introduction of
Community Policing administrative and legal
instruments in different countries were described
and Ukraine's preparedness and need for the
development of the concept were assessed. This
is due to a number of advantages that Community
Policing provides to ensure citizens’ safety.
Prokopenko et al. (2021) conclude that the
concept of Community Policing provides such
advantages as predicting the mitigating the
decline of criminogenic conditions in specific
areas by preventing deviant conduct from its
inception, and more effective collection of
testimony and evidence in the event of a crime.
According to the example of Sweden, scientists
call one of the tools for implementing the concept
an official web resource that contains advice on
preventing certain types of crimes (counselling
tourists, travelers, visitors on protecting credit
cards, office, production, etc. rules of conduct on
a construction site, burglary, etc.). The need to
introduce electronic resources as a Community
Policing tool is also emphasised in the author's
work, however, in the context of Community
Policing, it is crucial that such a resource not only
imparts knowledge but also affords the populace
with amplified prospects for communication and
engagement (Kappeler et al., 2020).
Didyk and Kostovska (2020) study the
administrative and legal component of police
interaction with the community. According to
scientists, this component entails fostering a
favourable perception of law enforcement,
bolstering community trust and enhancing their
perceived legitimacy, ensuring communication,
taking the views of the community into account
by the police, etc. Therefore, the said scholars
reached unanimous conclusions with the author
of the current article regarding the priority of
establishing fruitful communication and trusting
relations between the police and the community.
Tsurkalenko (2021) provides a list of areas of
activity in which the population cooperates with
the police using the example of Ukraine. In
particular, these are as follows: public health,
road safety, work with children and youth,
combating gender-based violence, sports and
eco-projects, cooperation with foreigners,
inclusive direction and informal communication.
In particular, the researcher carries out such
projects as "Neighbourhood Watch", "School
Police Officer", "DrugHunters" and "Community
Police Officer". Emphasizing that the transition
to a fully functioning Community Policing
concept in Ukraine will take decades, the
scientist notes the double effect of such a
transformation: on the one hand, it is a reduction
in tension between the population and the police,
on the other hand, a probable increase in crime in
the period when the police reorients itself to new
realities, and the population will not keep up with
it. Considering the results of the research, in
modern conditions, according to the author, such
a transition can be accelerated, and the negative
effects are levelled by adapting foreign practices,
including negative experience. For instance,
Koper et al. (2020) conclude that assessing police
proactivity is a complex process, and individual
agencies track only a few forms thereof. Thus,
measurement of proactivity is most often limited
to the quantitative calculation of traffic issues,
inspections of businesses, property, and various
forms of preventive patrolling. In fact, there is
often no way to realistically estimate the amount
of time officers have for proactive work.
Therefore, official policies and clear criteria for
assessing proactivity are mostly not established
(the study was based on data from US agencies).
Given the above, reform plans in Ukraine, should
take into account the introduction of more
effective approaches to assessing proactivity. An
example of a negative experience with the
introduction of Community Policing can be seen
in the work of Blair et al. (2021). Scholars found
the lack of a noticeable effect in the application
of the Community Policing concept in the
236
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
countries of the Global South on reducing crime
and increasing public trust in the police. The
factors as follows could have potentially
contributed to these outcomes: lack of support
from police leadership, frequent rotation of
police leadership and officers, and insufficient
resources to respond to issues noted by citizens.
Aston et al. (2023) note that the primary
impediments to optimal police engagement with
the general public are rooted in instances of
violent law enforcement practices and a lineage
of malfeasance. That being said, fairness in the
interaction of the police with citizens, as well as
procedural and distributive justice contribute to
increasing the level of trust in the police.
Moreover, drawing on scholarly insight, several
useful tools can be cited to improve the
effectiveness of Community Policing. Thus,
researchers emphasise the significance of
fostering personal engagement with the
populace, maintaining a continuous state of
accessibility, and cultivating meaningful
interaction with law enforcement personnel. At
the same time, it is expedient to use up-to-date
digital communication (programs, social
networks), ensuring the preservation of citizens'
data. This proves the author's views on the need
to develop effective digital platforms for
interaction with citizens. An important emphasis
in this work is the emphasis on the need to save
user data, which was not taken into account in the
above research.
According to Akarsu (2020), the development
and funding of Community Policing in Turkey,
with the primary goal of reducing
authoritarianism and police violence through
strengthening community relations, led to
somewhat different outcomes. Specifically, the
reform stimulated the population to strengthen
police activity, creating a new type of
community-police interaction. Hence, the
previously despised figure of the police informer
was transformed into a respected, responsible
and vigilant practitioner involved. In author’s
opinion, both alternatives are a positive result
from the implementation of Community
Policing. However, the result must be
predictable, and therefore, given the experience
of Turkey, before the implementation of specific
reforms, it is expedient to consider all possible
scenarios and evaluate their potential effect. The
establishment of trust between law enforcement
and society is a multifaceted undertaking, as
noted by Schaap (2021), due to the intricate
interplay of institutional and social factors that
are highly variable in nature. Thus, as
exemplified in the author's research, the large-
scale invasion of the Russian Federation on its
territory turned out to be a significant trigger for
the augmentation of confidence in law
enforcement in Ukraine. This is evidently related
to the effectiveness of law enforcement in critical
conditions and the growth of national unity. In
Ukraine, the National Police should use this
important stage to consolidate its authority and
improve relations with citizens, which ultimately
should lead to a reduction in the crime rate and
effective prevention thereof.
Similar conclusions are drawn by Madsen and
Kammersgaard (2022), who maintain that the
effectiveness of community police initiatives
depends on the ability of the latter to fit them into
social processes that reflect community’s social
dynamic. Scholars hold that Community Policing
should become a reflexive practice, not just apply
evidence-based method regardless of the
community. De Maillard and Terpstra (2021),
noting the differences in the implementation of
the Community Policing model in different
countries, highlight the following barriers to
effective reform: political priorities, socio-
economic differences and ethnic tensions,
professional interests, available organizational
resources. The said scholars call the political
climate, socio-economic inequality, relations
between the police and the government, and
police traditions as factors influencing reforms.
These factors necessitate a thorough examination
of the historical, political, cultural, and socio-
economic contexts in order to implement
targeted reforms. Consequently. this further
underscores the author's conclusions as presented
in the current article.
Conclusion
The primary objective of the police force in any
nation is to maintain law and order, ensuring the
safety and protection of its citizens. A major
impediment to achieving this aim is the pervasive
lack of confidence that many individuals have
towards their local law enforcement agencies.
This leads to the need to review the existing
practices of the police service and direct the
vector of such activities to the cultivation of
reliable and trustful relationship with the
community, alongside with efficient
communication. This study considered one of the
popular approaches to the development of police-
community interaction currently, namely the
concept of Community Policing.
The analysis carried out in the study made it
possible to reveal approaches to the introduction
of Community Policing in some EU countries
Volume 12 - Issue 69
/ September 2023
237
http:// www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
(the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark
and France). During the characterization of these
approaches, prevalent strategies were identified
that are utilised through specific administrative
and legal instruments utilised by these nations,
namely:
− public engagement in Community Policing;
− instructing and training of police officers;
− provision of advice and consultations;
− crime analysis and prevention.
The analysis of the diverse forms of interaction
between law enforcement and citizens in the UK
has bolstered its reputation as a successful model
for Community Policing implementation. This
suggests that selecting and adapting optimal
modes of interaction to specific country
conditions can enhance efficacy when
introducing Community Policing. The
significance of developing effective electronic
platforms for police-community interaction was
underscored.
The evaluation of Ukraine's preparedness for the
implementation of Community Policing has
demonstrated that the country has favourable
conditions, both legally and socially, to further
advance the above concept. The population’s
trust in law enforcement agencies appears to be a
crucial factor in the successful implementation of
the researched concept.
The outcomes of this research can be utilised by
law enforcement agencies to enhance the
execution of the Community Policing concept,
while considering global practices. Subsequent
investigations should delve into revealing the
nuances of particular engagement modes
between police personnel and society, in
particular, Neighbourhood Watch and Home
Watch Network.
Bibliographic references
Akarsu, H. (2020). Citizen forces: The politics of
community policing in Turkey. American
Ethnologist, 47(1), 27-42.
https://doi.org/10.1111/amet.12879
Aston, E. V., O’Neill, M., Hail, Y., & Wooff, A.
(2023). Information sharing in community
policing in Europe: Building public
confidence. European Journal of
Criminology, 20(4), 1349-1368.
https://doi.org/10.1177/14773708211037902
Blair, G., Weinstein, J. M., Christia, F., Arias, E.,
Badran, E., Blair, R. A., ... & Wilke, A. M.
(2021). Community policing does not build
citizen trust in police or reduce crime in the
Global South. Science, 374(6571), eabd3446.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abd3446
CCV. (2023). First in safety. https://hetccv.nl/
Charalambous, E., Skitsas, M., Efstathiou, N., &
Koutras, N. (2019). A Digital Decision
Support System for Efficient Policing in
Urban Security in a Community Policing
Context. In: Leventakis, G., Haberfeld, M.
(eds), Synergy of Community Policing and
Technology. Springer Briefs in Criminology
(pp. 1-14). Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00299-
2_1
Connell, N. M., Miggans, K., & McGloin, J. M.
(2008). Can a community policing initiative
reduce serious crime? A local
evaluation. Police Quarterly, 11(2), 127-150.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1098611107306276
Davis, R., Henderson, N., & Merrick, C. (2003).
Community policing: Variations on the
western model in the developing
world. Police Practice and Research, 4(3),
285-300.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15614260320001138
70
de Maillard, J., & Terpstra, J. (2021). Community
policing in comparative perspective.
In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of
Criminology and Criminal Justice.
https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264
079.013.615
Didyk, N. I., & Kostovska, K. M. (2020).
Administrative and legal aspects of police
and community. Comparative and analytical
law, 4, 466-471.
https://dspace.lvduvs.edu.ua/handle/1234567
890/3575
Elphick, C., Philpot, R., Zhang, M., Stuart, A.,
Walkington, Z., Frumkin, L. A., ... &
Nuseibeh, B. (2021). Building trust in digital
policing: a scoping review of community
policing apps. Police Practice and
Research, 22(5), 1469-1491.
https://doi.org/10.1080/15614263.2020.1861
449
European Commission. (2019). The Danish SSP
system: Local collaboration between schools,
social service and police.
https://acortar.link/HaRIcq
Kammersgaard, T., Søgaard, T. F., Haller, M. B.,
Kolind, T., & Hunt, G. (2023). Community
policing in Danish “ghetto” areas: Trust and
distrust between the police and ethnic
minority youth. Criminology & Criminal
Justice, 23(1), 98-116.
https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958211017390
Kappeler, V. E., Gaines, L. K., & Schaefer, B. P.
(2020). Community policing: A
238
www.amazoniainvestiga.info ISSN 2322- 6307
contemporary perspective. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429398056
Koper, C. S., Lum, C., Wu, X., & Fritz, N.
(2020). Proactive policing in the United
States: a national survey. Policing: An
International Journal, 43(5), 861-876.
https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-06-2020-
0086
Kutnjak Ivković, S., Peacock, R., &
Cajner Mraović, I. (2020). The role of
organisational justice and community
policing values in the model of external
procedural justice in Croatia. International
Journal of Comparative and Applied
Criminal Justice, 44(1-2), 47-62.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01924036.2019.1599
972
Law of Ukraine No. 580-VIII. On the National
Police. Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. 2023.
https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/580-
19#Text
Madsen, M., & Kammersgaard, T. (2022).
Dining with the police: Resistance and
acceptance of community policing. Nordic
Journal of Studies in Policing, 9(1), 1-15.
https://doi.org/10.18261/njsp.9.1.6
Malone, M. F. T., & Dammert, L. (2021). The
police and the public: policing practices and
public trust in Latin America. Policing and
Society, 31(4), 418-433.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2020.1744
600
Medvedenko, S. V. (2019). The overseas
experience of police-public interaction on the
example of the UK and Belgium. Actual
problems of the state and law, 83(16),
135-142.
https://doi.org/10.32837/apdp.v0i83.125
Mills, C. B., Kwon, A. C., & Brown, K. A.
(2021). Examining the COMM in
COMMunity Policing: Communication
Accommodation, Perception, and Trust in
Law Enforcement-Suspect
Encounters. Journal of Police and Criminal
Psychology, 36(2), 333-341.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11896-021-09445-y
Oosthuizen, J. (2021). Community Policing. In:
Modern Police Leadership: Operational
Effectiveness at Every Level (pp. 405-421).
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63930-
3_30
OSCE. (2023). France.
https://polis.osce.org/country-profiles/france
Police.uk. (2023). Careers and volunteering.
https://www.police.uk/pu/careers-and-
volunteering/
Prokopenko, O. Yu., Bulatin, D. O., &
Kushnirenko, R. O. (2021). Opportunities to
use the EU countries experience in the field
of preventive police activities in Ukraine.
Law and Safety, 83(4), 56-63.
https://doi.org/10.32631/pb.2021.4.06
Safety in the community. (2023). What is
Community Policing.
https://acortar.link/xDRGyh
Schaap, D. (2021). Police trust-building
strategies. A socio-institutional, comparative
approach. Policing and Society, 31(3), 304-
320.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2020.1726
345
Schlosser, M. D., Robbennolt, J. K.,
Blumberg, D. M., & Papazoglou, K. (2021).
Confirmation bias: A barrier to community
policing. Journal of Community Safety and
Well-Being, 6(4), 162-167.
https://doi.org/10.35502/jcswb.219
Skogan, W. G. (2019). Community policing. In:
Weisburd, D., & Braga, A. A. (eds.), Police
Innovation: Contrasting perspectives
(pp. 27-44). Cambridge University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108278423
Slovo i dilo. (2023). How the level of trust of
Ukrainians in law enforcement and law
enforcement agencies has changed.
https://acortar.link/ZlKTDr
Tsurkalenko, D. P. (2021). Some aspects of
implementation of the concept of
“Community Policing” in Ukraine. Historical
and legal journal, 2(17), 93-99.
https://doi.org/10.32782/2409-4544/2021-
2/13