Prospects for ideal police-public relations: The role of the police Public Complaints Authourity
Date
2013-10-17
Authors
Nakamba, Ngawo
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Abstract
The police are a pillar in the administration of the criminal laws of any society. They occupy a central position in maintaining law and order, and in upholding individual rights of members of society. Like any institution in society, they cannot effectively carry out their mandate without support from other institutions and most importantly, from the public. It is for this reason that, an interactive relationship of co-operation between the police and the public is necessary to the efficiency of any police force. This interactive relationship is what is referred to as good police-public relations.It is observed with much regret that the standing of the Zambia Police in the public eye has deteriorated, and that police-public relations have to that extent been strained. In view of that, it is suggested in this essay that the creation Police Public Complaints Authority could provide a way of achieving better police-public relations, through checks on police actions.The paper will commence with a brief account of the evolution of the concept of policing in England, as well as a brief outline of the history of the Zambia Police. In addition, the role and place of police in society will be elucidated. Chapter Two proceeds to look at the relationship between the police and the public. It tackles the significance of ensuring that this relationship is one that fosters co-operation between the two, and also of accountability on the part of the police for their actions. It also looks at the factors that have led to public apathy towards the police, and hostility in the associations between the police and the public. Chapter Three will address the issue of public complaints against the police, their importance in terms of providing a check on police actions and enforcing discipline, and the avenues that have hitherto been available to the public in this context. It will also make critical analysis of the same. It presents the Police Public Complaints Authority as an enhanced way of ensuring police accountability to the public. Finally in Chapter Four, recommendations will be made on ways of improving the performance of the Police Public Complaints Authority.
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Keywords
Police Administration-Zambia , Police Complaints Against-Zambia , Police Management-Zambia