Neighborhood Watch as a Strategy of Community Policing Program: A Case of Zanzibar

Abstract

This study sought to establish the neighborhood watch as a strategy of community policing program in Zanzibar, Tanzania. It is a descriptive study design which used quantitative approach to collect information from 400 respondents out of 1, 303, 569 study population. Simple random sampling and stratified sampling techniques were applied to select respondents. A structured questionnaire was conducted to gather required information from respondents. Statistical Package for Social sciences (SPSS) version 1.20 was used to analyze data where the following mean scores interpretation scale was used: 3.50-4.00= strongly sympathetic, 2.50-3.49 = sympathetic, 1.50-2.49= unsympathetic and 1.00-1.49 strongly unsympathetic. After analysis the study concluded that neighborhood watch as crime prevention was not accepted by the study area community. Due to such desirable results, it is recommended that it is an essential for police to introduce effective communication with community. Police officers have to impact proper neighborhood knowledge that make individual community members understand their role in the implementation of neighborhood watch program.