Organizational Factors Influencing Community Policing Strategy among Security Agencies in Njoro Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to assess the influence of security agency organizational factors on the implementation of community policing strategy in Njoro Sub-County. It sought to establish the level of community policing strategy implementation by security agencies, and investigate the influence of two aggregate organizational factors (organizational structure and management styles) on the implementation of community policing. The study was guided by the contingency theory and diffusion of innovations theory to provide a theoretical framework. A cross-sectional survey in Njoro Sub-County was undertaken and data collected from 138 sample respondents using interview schedules. The study targeted three security agencies: the National Government Administration, Kenya Police Service and Administration Police Service; whose officers were the sample respondents. The study also conducted focused group discussions with 22 chiefs‟ elders and administered interviews to the Sub-County Security and Intelligence Committee members as Key informants. The three security agencies formed the strata from where officers were selected by simple random sampling. Data gathered was summarized, then analyzed and presented using SPSS. The study found that the three security agencies in Njoro Sub-County had a 66.15% level of community policing implementation. It was also found that three security agencies had a 57.2% level of organizational structuring and a 64.18% level of organizational management styles adjustment. The study concludes that there is a clear indication that the three security agencies in Njoro Sub-County were implementing community policing. It was also concluded that both organizational structuring and management styles of the three security agencies had a positive influence on the implementation of community policing. Recommendations from the study was that the principal secretary, ministry of interior and coordination of national government should allocate funds for the conduct of community surveys by security agencies, and ensure that the necessary structural and management style reforms are undertaken in the face of community policing implementation. These findings can inform policy on the ongoing security sector reforms especially on the structural and management reforms that are required to transform the country‟s security sector.