The establishment of a community police force is awaiting directions of the Ministry of Interior, sources told Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper. Security forces discussed earlier the feasibility of establishing community police stations.
Community police forces aim to boost cooperation between security officers and intellectuals, teachers and educators to maintain peace in neighborhoods, particularly regarding crimes related to ethics and moral, such as drug abuse and moral delinquency. Community police posts would be set up in every neighborhood or housing complex to maintain security.
The posts would require the cooperation of chiefs of districts, residents and regular police stations, as well as secretariats of the regions. Community policing has been tried in several neighborhoods, such as King Fahd and Al-Misfalah in Makkah.
King Abdullah Research and Consulting Institute at King Saud University was recently awarded the contract for providing consulting services for the General Directorate of Public Security.
Mohamed bin Attia Al-Harthy, dean of the institute, said that the consultants would use scientific methods to ensure the success of the community police project.
Al-Harthy stressed the keen interest of the institute to cooperate with military institutions to transfer knowledge. “We seek to be an effective partner with various community organizations,” he said.
“We will work continuously to develop our capabilities and exchange our experiences with global consulting firms, to contribute effectively to the achievement of sustainable national development.”
Surveys of the Statistics Department and Criminal Studies Center in Makkah showed that 48 percent of respondents said that security forces alone couldn’t function without the participation and activation of the role of citizens. Almost 9 percent of respondents stressed the important role of the Association of Neighborhood Centers in maintaining safety and security.
A majority of respondents, 75 percent, said that civil organizations should participate in the security responsibility.
The survey showed that 63 percent agreed to outsource some of policing patrols, and charge community members with the task of solving minor security issues.
Community police await govt nod
