DefinePK

Abstract

This study assesses the role of police in crime prevention within Tehsil Timergara, Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.  This study utilizes a qualitative research design, an interview guide as a data collection tool, conducts detailed interpersonal interviews with officers of different ranks and highly experienced police officers to get comprehensive data about the pattern of crime, tactics and strategies used by police, challenges to police in crime prevention, and police-community dynamics. Thematic analysis of the data reveals that mostly property crime, interpersonal disputes, and drug-related crimes occur in Tehsil Timergara, which are deeply connected with socio-economic conditions, interpersonal conflicts, weak governance, and a high rate of illiteracy and unemployment. Furthermore, this study reveals that police use a hybrid model of crime prevention, which consists of the traditional deterrence model and the community-oriented model of crime prevention. Results reveal that major challenges to crime prevention strategies are corruption, political influence, lack of resources, lack of community trust, unemployment, and illiteracy. The study concludes that the efficacy of police in crime prevention in Tehsil Timergara is fundamentally limited by a complex interplay of socio-economic factors, a crisis of institutional legitimacy, and systemic constraints. It recommends a sequential reform agenda prioritizing the enhancement of police legitimacy through accountability, followed by strategic resource investment and multi-agency collaboration to address the root causes of crime.