Digital policing technologies and democratic policing
| Published date | 01 June 2018 |
| Author | Temitayo Isaac Odeyemi,A. Sat Obiyan |
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355718763448 |
| Date | 01 June 2018 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
Digital policing technologies and
democratic policing: Will the internet,
social media and mobile phone enhance
police accountability and police–citizen
relations in Nigeria?
Temitayo Isaac Odeyemi
Department of Political Science, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria
A. Sat Obiyan
Department of Political Science, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Abstract
The police are expected to perform functions critical to relations between the government and citizens in democratic
societies. However, in Nigeria, the reality is that the police organisation suffers limitations that undermine effective and
democratic policing. Although the Nigeria Police Force has a long and chequered history, its services are dogged by
challenges including adversarial police–citizen relations and mutual suspicion and police misconduct. To address these
problems and enhance policing, the Nigeria Police Force has deployed digital technologies through a Complaint Response
Unit [later renamed the Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU)]. The PCRRU allows the public to connect with
the police through dedicated phone numbers for calls and SMS, and a round-the-clock presence on Twitter, Facebook,
WhatsApp, Blackberry Messenger and a mobile application. Although this initiative often draws attention and
commendation, it also raises doubts about sustenance and utility value. Drawing on David Easton’s input–output nexus
as a theoretical underpinning on the one hand, and data sourced through expert opinion interviews and web measurement
on the other hand, this article investigates how these digital policing technologies, through the PCRRU, enhance efforts at
mutually rewarding police–citizen relations and police accountability, as requisites of democratic policing, in Nigeria. The
findings expand discussion on the dimensions of Nigeria’s police–citizen relations and the potentials of technology in
promoting positive outcomes. The findings also suggest means through which police managers can optimise technology in
ways that aid strategic efforts at improving public security.
Keywords
Policing, security, police, digital technology, social media, police–citizen relations, Nigeria Police Force
Submitted 07 Aug 2017, Revise received 05 Jan 2018, accepted 08 Jan 2018
Introduction
In today’s international governance systems, security of
lives and property underlies the functioning of societies.
Evidence continues to highlight the roles of state and
non-state actors in this direction (Alemika, 2011; Hills,
2007; Odeyemi and Obiyan, 2017). Government, as a state
actor, is primarily concerned with the security and welfare
Corresponding author:
Temitayo Isaac Odeyemi, Department of Political Science, Obafemi
Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Email: odeyemiisaac11@gmail.com
International Journalof
Police Science & Management
2018, Vol. 20(2) 97–108
ªThe Author(s) 2018
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DOI: 10.1177/1461355718763448
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