The role of community policing in communities with serious gang problems: Insights from Trinidad and Tobago

Globally, the presence of gangs is associated with elevated rates of violence in the communities they occupy. Gang membership is associated with higher rates of criminal offending, drug use, school dropout, teenage parenthood, and joblessness. While various strategies have been developed to address gang violence, police tactics have primarily focused on suppression. However, it is well known that suppression tactics can lead to overzealous policing with potentially detrimental effects on communities. Limited research exists on the impact of police officers' engagement in prevention and intervention activities to address gang violence. Based on in-depth interviews with police officers in a specialized community policing unit in Trinidad and Tobago, this paper explores police efforts to intervene in gang-related issues in communities facing high levels of gang violence. The officers we interviewed believe their efforts to engage respectfully with community members, including known gang members, resulted in a favorable community response to police work and residents' buy-in towards police initiatives. This study contributes to understanding the perspectives of specialized community policing officers seeking to improve the quality of life for residents in communities beset by gang violence and highlights the challenges and potential benefits of respectful community engagement strategies.