FACTORS AFFECTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICE

PERFORMANCE IN POLOMOLOK PNP STATION

A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Undergraduate School

South East Asian Institute of Technology
Crossing Rubber, Tupi, South Cotabato

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree

Bachelor of Science in Criminology

By

BALUNTO, ANACEL D.
CARTIL, BUISAN M.
LIANSING, JOHN MELMAR L.
LLUPAR, CHINY R.
MAGUAN, JOFFY RAFF G.
RAJAHBUAYAN, MOCTADER M.
PANDOY, JIMMY B. JR.
SALAMAN, ABDULLAH H.

March 2024
 Chapter I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

This chapter presents the introduction, statement of the problem,

hypothesis, significance of the study, and definition of terms.

Introduction

Police officers are one of various careers that are significant to the

growth of national economic and social development because they have a

key function and authority with regard to keeping the peace, maintaining

public security and safety, and preserving common property for citizens in

the community and society which are basic, physical needs in human

society. In any society, living in an unsafe and disruptive environment

holds back the diverse advancement of a country. In addition, the roles

and duties of police officers are highly influential in the improvement of

infrastructure in a nation. Therefore, the government should focus on the

Police, especially the work effectiveness of police officials. It is a fact that

police officers are central in setting the directions of the Police. If police

officers have high effectiveness, awareness, and alertness in their work

performance, it would positively affect the Police and the development of

the economic system and society in the country. Conversely, the

ineffective work performance of police officers would have negative

impacts on the Police and their reliability concerning the challenges

associated with safely maintaining life and property from the citizens'
viewpoint. Inevitably, such a poor situation would result in national decline

(Tengpongsthorn, W. 2017)

Successfully recruiting and developing its leaders is a core

challenge in many public and private organizations. On top of this, for

security sector organizations worldwide, governance and anti-corruption

challenges are often part and parcel of ongoing reforms to strengthen

policing effectiveness and over-all security sector reforms. For the

Philippine National Police (PNP), these aforementioned challenges are

amplified for several reasons. These include senior officers themselves

trying to take care of the careers of junior officers who have worked with

them, as well as local government officials who have worked extensively

with these officers (Mendoza et. al. 2021).

These influences could be corrosive to the public good, if the

senior officers and local governments are crippled by misgovernance,

corruption, and poor leadership. Young officers and new recruits assigned

to work in badly governed local jurisdictions and police units can quickly

be compromised, and pick up bad habits and practices (Batalla, 2019). In

fact, the PNP is ‘captured’ in some local jurisdictions where local

politicians have in fact co-opted them to serve in their private armed

groups. A recent study found that election years are crucial turning points

for fatal police violence in several provinces and cities in the Philippines,

which further suggests that local politicians play an important role in

shaping police behaviors (Kreuzer, 2018).

 Combined with the challenges of modern community policing which

requires not only political savviness but adaptability to new technologies

that could enhance security and police work, the PNP also faces the

persistent national security risks linked to factionalization and rebellion,

and threats of terrorism and violent extremism. Clearly, the institution

faces myriad challenges in the Philippine context, emphasizing even

further the importance of strong integrity and skills in its leadership

pipeline (Ilac et. al. 2020).

The Polomolok Police Station has a long history of serving the

community and has evolved over the years to adapt to the changing

needs of society. Established with the primary goal of maintaining peace

and order, the station encounters numerous challenges and obstacles

that significantly influence its effectiveness. Despite these challenges, the

Polomolok Police Station continuously strives to overcome these

obstacles, implement reforms, and enhance their capabilities to better

serve and protect the community.

While Polomolok Police Station has a reputation for fostering a

productive work environment, there remains a lack of comprehensive

research on the specific factors such as personality traits, organizational

culture and scarcity of modern equipment that affects the effectiveness of

police performance in Polomolok PNP Station. Existing studies on similar

Police department have often overlooked the unique challenges and

dynamics of managing the performance of police officers. This gap in the

literature highlights the need for targeted research to identify the key
factors affecting the effectiveness of police performance at Polomolok

PNP Station, enabling the development of tailored strategies to enhance

workforce and performance of the police officers and officials.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to examine the factors that affect the effectiveness

of police performance in the Polomolok Philippine National Police (PNP)

Station.

The study aims to answer the following questions:

1. What are the factors affects the police performance in terms of:

1:1 Personality traits;

1:2 Organizational culture;

1:3 Scarcity of Modern Equipment.

2. To what extent is the level of effectiveness of police performance in

terms of:

2:1 Individual Performance

2:2 Organizational Performance

2:3 Social Performance

3. Is there a significant relationship between the factors affecting police

performance and its level of effectiveness in Polomolok, South Cotabato?

Hypothesis

Ha: The presence of factors and influences is significantly affecting

the performance and the level of effectiveness of the police in Polomolok

PNP Station.

Ho: There is no significant relationship between factors affecting

police performance and its level of effectiveness in Polomolok, South

Cotabato.

Significance of the Study

The findings of the study may beneficial to the following:

PNP Administrators -The research outcomes can provide valuable

insights to PNP administrators at the Polomolok PNP Station. By

understanding the factors that influence police performance within their

specific station, administrators can make informed decisions to improve

operational efficiency, resource allocation, and overall effectiveness of law

enforcement activities. This knowledge can help in developing targeted

strategies to address challenges and enhance the performance of the

police force in Polomolok.

PNP Personnel/Officer- For PNP personnel and officers serving at

the Polomolok PNP Station, the study's findings can offer a deeper

understanding of the factors that impact their performance on a day-to-

day basis. By identifying and addressing these factors, officers can

enhance their skills, knowledge, and working conditions, leading to

improved individual and collective performance in maintaining law and

order, ensuring public safety, and upholding justice within the community.

Academe- Academics and researchers can benefit from this research

by using it as a reference for further studies on factors affecting the

effectiveness of police performance. It can serve as a foundation for

future research, allowing for a deeper exploration of the topic and the

development of more comprehensive theories and frameworks.

Researcher- The research outcomes of this study can serve as a

valuable resource for researchers in the field of law enforcement and

public safety. By exploring the specific factors affecting police

performance in the context of the Polomolok PNP Station, researchers

can gain insights into the unique challenges and opportunities faced by

law enforcement agencies in a specific locality. This study can inspire

further research and analysis in similar settings, contributing to the

broader understanding of effective policing practices.

Future Researchers - Future researchers can benefit from the

study by using its findings as a foundation for conducting additional

research on the topic of police performance. The insights and conclusions

drawn from this study can serve as a starting point for future

investigations, allowing researchers to delve deeper into specific aspects

of police effectiveness, explore new hypotheses, and expand the

knowledge base in the field of law enforcement studies.

Definition of Terms

The following terms used in the study are define conceptually and

operationally for better perspective and understanding.

Police Performance- as used in the research the term refers to

the encompasses the actions and outcomes of the police officers within

the Polomolok PNP station, including but not limited to crime prevention,

law enforcement, and responsiveness to incidents.

Polomolok PNP Station- as used in the research the term refers

the local law enforcement agency responsible for policing activities within

the municipality of Polomolok, Philippines.

Leadership Dynamics- as used in the research the term refers to

the quality of leadership within the Polomolok PNP station, including the

competence, vision, communication skills, and decision-making abilities of

its leaders.

Community Engagement- as used in the research the term refers

describes the interactions, collaborations, and partnerships between the

Polomolok PNP station and the local community, aimed at fostering trust,

cooperation, and mutual understanding.

Organizational Culture- as used in the research the term refers

represents the shared values, norms, beliefs, and practices that

characterize the Polomolok PNP station, influencing the attitudes,

behaviors, and performance of its members.

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Personal Traits

Personality characteristics predict police performance and

differentially predict contextual and task performance competencies.

Socio-analytic theory posits useful generalizations regarding personality

differences in how people behave at work. Humans work in groups

structured with status hierarchies. At work, people will act to improve

interactions with members in their group, called getting along, and to build

their group status, called getting ahead. Individuals differ meaningfully in

the ways and degree to which they get along and ahead Task

performance aligns with getting ahead, and contextual performance aligns

with getting along (Hogan & Holland, 2023).

Personality traits describes as a set of characteristics that help

shape the mentality of police officers. In fact, a model of personality called

the Five-Factor Model (FFM) has emerged as a useful predictor of job

performance over the last three decades. Also, known as the ‘Big Five’

personality dimensions, the FFM consists of Openness to experience,

Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism

(OCEAN). A key study contributed greatly toward validating the potency of

the FFM in predicting job performance. By conducting a meta-analysis of

117 studies, they found that the FFM is a robust and meaningful

framework for testing hypotheses relating individual personalities to a

wide range of criteria. Notably, they found that the Conscientiousness

dimension was a valid predictor of job performance for all types of

occupational groupings, i.e., professionals, police, managers, sales, and

skilled/semi-skilled workers. They asserted that ‘those individuals who

exhibit traits associated with a strong sense of purpose, obligation, and

persistence generally perform better than those who do not (Ilac et. al.

2021).

Another study of the Abu Dhabi Police supports that personality is

a predictor of performance. They found that, of the Big Five,

Conscientiousness and Extraversion showed positive significant

correlation with job performance. Neuroticism, on the other hand, showed

significant negative correlation with job performance. Furthermore, the

study found that three of the FFM have significant negative correlation

with measurements of counterproductive work behavior (CWB). In

contrast, neuroticism showed positive associations with CWB. Finally, the

international literature examining police officers’ performance appear to

consistently identify personality traits like intelligence, honesty, common

sense, reliability and/or conscientiousness (Ilac et. al 2021).

Organizational Culture
 Organizational culture Is an evolved context of organizational

climate where it is deeply rooted in history and is complex for direct

manipulation. Further, they characterize culture to include underlying traits

and value dimensions. In one of their studies, a theoretical framework was

developed for relating organizational culture and effectiveness. Based on

their study, they identified four (4) culture traits that relate to effectiveness

of the professional individual: Adaptability, Mission, Involvement, and

Consistency. They found out that involvement and adaptability were

strong predictors of growth–that is, individuals have the growing capacity

to operate under the conditions of autonomy and have a high resistance

to change and adaptation. Further, the results showed that mission or

long-term vision and consistency are also positively related to

effectiveness. This indicates that if the culture of the organization was

perceived stable and predictable over time, then this too contributes to

better performance of individuals working in that organization (Mendoza

et. al. 2021).

Organizational culture has been a dominant concept used to

encapsulate the effect of the environment on individual performance and

collective effectiveness. It consists of what people believe about how

things work in their organizations and the behavioral and physical

outcomes of these beliefs. Batalla (2019) examines the institutionalized

corruption at the PNP, which may be rooted in patronage politics, weak

internal controls, and culture of favoritism and protection (known as kuya

system or bata-bata system). On the other hand, patterns of lethal police

violence vary in Metro Manila, wherein Quezon City and Manila City have

the highest rate at almost identical rates of 14.5 killings per million

population annually, while Pateros and San Juan City both have no

reported killings (Kreuzer, 2018). This suggests that police performance

may be greater influenced by specific local subcultures.

It is possible to link an entirely separate branch of literature –

focused on institutions – to the growth of the organizational culture. For

instance, in examining differences in the institutional innovations for

combatting corruption by the Hong Kong Police Force (HKPF) and New

York Police Department (NYPD). HKPF routinely partners with an

independent anti- corruption agency, ICAC (Independent Commission

Against Corruption),7 while the NYPD has established internal integrity

mechanism through its Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB). This suggests a

diversity in institutional designs which balances the internal and external

accountability mechanisms germane to different police agencies across

countries (Mendoza et. al. 2021).

Specifically, the dominant cultural themes that are said to have

undermined community policing initiatives are officers’ preference for

action, their solidarity and isolation, an ‘us versus them’ outlook and

inherent suspicion. However, the concept of police culture is a contested

one. First, culture is not monolithic. Studies have demonstrated the

differences that characterize police officers’ occupational outlooks can

result from factors such as different education, demographic background,

experience in the organization, rank, regional differences, Second, culture

changes. Indeed, the literature on police culture largely predates recent

changes that have taken place within policing, such as the development

of neighborhood policing and changes to workforce composition For

example, Charman's (2017) longitudinal research on the experiences of

new recruits to a police force in England provides evidence to suggest

that the cultural narratives of new recruits are contributing to the dilution of

the traditionally dominant outlooks.

According to Charman, new recruits adopt the identity of a

‘problem-solving communicator’ (2017: 272), giving rise to new cultural

characteristics such as the ‘blue code of self-protection’, ‘compassion’ and

‘communication’ (2017: 339). More recently there has been a sustained

period of government cuts in funding of the police, expansion of the

policing task and reforms to police pay and conditions (Holdaway, 2017).

Scarcity of Modern Equipment

Work effectiveness is the key to successful operation in an

organization. Organizations with appropriate procedures supporting and

increasing the work effectiveness of their employees tend to receive a

good return on that investment and achieve rapid, effective, and

sustainable development. In contrast, a lack of appropriate procedures

supporting and increasing the work effectiveness of internal employees

results in employees being ineffective, apathetic and unable to achieve

the desired work performance (Santiwong, 2018).

 In the realm of law enforcement, the significance of equipment

cannot be overstated. Every tool and item of gear serves a purpose,

contributing to the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of officers when

faced with challenges in the field. From standard-issue uniforms to

specialized gear designed for specific threats, each item plays a crucial

part in enabling officers to carry out their duties with confidence and

effectiveness. Equipment in law enforcement has become increasingly

important and focused on the rising threats posed by rifles and active

shooter scenarios. Innovative solutions like the rifle-rated compact

response shield from Armor Research Company and specialized training

courses like those offered by RDI Training & Consulting Group are

helping to keep officers safe, saving more civilian lives, and shaping a

more positive relationship with law enforcement and the community

(Chavez 2024).

One of the primary reasons why equipment is essential in law

enforcement is to ensure the safety and protection of officers. Police work

inherently involves facing various dangers, including physical

confrontations, armed encounters, and unpredictable situations. Properly

designed and tested equipment can significantly reduce the risk of injuries

and fatalities, allowing officers to operate more safely and confidently in

high-stress environments (Armor Research 2024).

Lack of modern technology hampers efficiency in routine tasks,

such as reporting and communication, leading to slower response times

and decreased productivity. Without advanced tools like forensic

technology, data analytics, and surveillance systems, solving crimes

becomes more challenging, reducing clearance rates and overall

effectiveness. Modern technology enhances officer safety through

advanced protective gear and real-time communication systems. Scarcity

of such technology increases risks for officers in the field. Public trust can

be eroded when the police force appears under-equipped and less

capable of effectively addressing crime, impacting community relations

and cooperation. The scarcity of modern technology significantly impairs

police performance, affecting efficiency, crime-solving capabilities, officer

safety, and public trust. Investing in technology is crucial for a competent

and reliable police force (Koeffman, 2019).

Individual Performance

The PNP has multiple systems in place aimed to measure

individual performance in the police force. First is the individual

performance evaluation report (IPER), which is accomplished by the

supervisor and submitted twice a year.9 An assessment by the United

National Development Programme (UNDP) revealed disadvantages of

this performance evaluation system. It found that the indicators used to

evaluate police officers focus more on their character traits and personal

competence, rather than actual job performance. Moreover, it bestows the

supervisor with high level of personal discretion and subjectivity, which

potentially increases the risk for abuse and corruption (United Nations

Development Programme [UNDP], 2020).

Another performance indicator employed in PNP is enforcement

productivity (i.e., number of arrests). While this provides a more objective

measure of performance, a number of literatures suggest that this narrow

indicator does not take into account the breadth of policing mission, and

varying types of work in a police organization. Furthermore, focusing on

these enforcement goals may contribute to police misconduct, and may

bias the judgment of officers towards attaining more arrests. Lastly,

awards and medals are used to recognize outstanding performance of

police functions and activities. These awards are granted in recognition of

heroism, accomplishments, meritorious service, skill and proficiency, and

are given to both operational and administrative nature of work, which

means that all police officers, across different ranks and departments,

have equal access and opportunity to receive awards. In assessing

promotions, PNP applies this criterion to evaluate level of excellence in

performance of duty as evidenced by awards received. On the other

hand, criminal and administrative cases and derogatory records are in

turn used to measure poor performance. Recognizing the broad spectrum

of existing performance indicators in PNP, the researchers decided to

employ awards and cases to indicate ‘strong’ and ‘poor’ police

performance, respectively. This performance indicator provides the study

an objective measure of performance, which is accessible to different

ranks and types of work in PNP. ‘Strong’ performing police officers are

defined as the police officers who have received awards and those with

zero cases filed against them. Awards include Medalya ng Kabayanihan

(Distinguished Conduct Medal), Medalya ng Kadakilaan(Heroism Medal),

Medalya ng Kagalignan(Medal of Merit), Medalya ng Kagitingan(Medal of

Valor), Medalya ng Katapangan (Medal of Bravery), Meritorious Awards,

and Metrobank Award.10 Not included are awards received for years of

service. ‘Poor’ performing police officers are those who have legal,

administrative and civil cases involving grave offenses, and with no

awards received. Examples of grave offenses are drugs, human rights

violations, robbery or extortion, and graft or malversation. Information on

awards and cases were derived from administrative information provided

by the PNP (Mendoza et. al. 2020).

Organizational Performance

The organizational performance implies any change in the

organizational system that leads to higher levels of efficiency and

effectiveness of the functioning. Specifically, everything leading to a

higher level of utilization of human, material and financial resources and

compliance with the environment may be called an organizational change.

A recurring theme of many writers is that the effects and consequences of

organizational change can be wide-spread, even from the most seemingly

insignificant alteration to a task or procedure to major organizational re-

structuring and re-sizing. Today, organizational changes may take several

different types. The relevant literature most often mentions classifications

on planned and unplanned, structural, technological and behavioural

changes, then incremental and strategic changes. Moreover, in

accordance with the characteristics, organizational changes can be

classed as those related to organizational development, organizational

transformation and reengineering. At the present time, when the effects of

the global crisis have consequences on all segments of society, an often-

mentioned term is downsizing which refers to the reduction of the number

of employees on the operating payroll. When we talk about changes in

police organizations, it is suggested that in order to understand and

describe the process of change in police organizations it is necessary to

consider both the human reactions to change, as well as the mechanistic

organizational functions and processes that bring about those effects in

humans. Organizational changes in the police force basically do not have

many similarities to those carried out in the private sector, more precisely

in the business entities. “Police reform is risky and hard, and efforts to

innovate in policing do not always provide the expected and desired

results.” Due to many reasons, such as a large number of involved

subjects in police reforms or pressure made by leading political parties, it

is necessary to be clear-eyed about the difficulties regarding innovations

in police organizations. Experience shows that holders of organizational

changes in the police force often forget what impact they will realize on

performance of police officers. Incongruity between the expected

outcomes after the changes and the performance of employees may

cause resistance of employees which is manifested in various ways.

Through recommendations the authors will give few options which could

be very useful for the proper implementation of reforms in organizational

terms whereby there will be no negative impact on the performance of

employees (Kekic et. al., 2016).

When speaking about the classification of organizational changes,

as stated in the previous part of the paper, the most common ones are

structural, technological and behavioural. Within the structural approach,

the emphasis is on the changes of certain dimensions of the structure that

contribute to the efficiency of the organization. The technological

approach to organizational changes takes into account the connection

between technology and organization, and the current trend of their

uniting in modern flexible production systems, computer integrated

production and similar. The behavioral or human approach to

organizational changes is based on the hypothesis that the functioning of

an organization can be improved through changes in people, their

behavior and knowledge.6 In the case of police organization, most

changes refer to structural changes while the least attention is paid to

changes in people who are part of it. Examples from practice show that

these changes reflect on the new division of labor or a greater degree of

centralization or decentralization and can have either positive or negative

effects on the performance of police officers. The positive effect is

reflected in the fact that, for example, through better division of labor,
police officers can better perform their tasks. It happens that within one

organizational unit a certain group of police officers is overloaded with

work. As a consequence, that organizational unit constantly achieves poor

results which may adversely affect the safety of citizens. A better division

of labor is suggested, e.g., some jobs may be transferred to the

jurisdiction of another group of workers in same organizational unit who

do not have so many duties. Thus, the organizational change should have

positive effect on the performance of police officers. But, on the other

hand, there is a tendency within police organizations to achieve as high

as possible degree of centralization. That practice, which can be achieved

by shifting the place of the decision to a higher level, may adversely affect

the results of police officers. The implementation of organizational

changes that will lead to a greater degree of centralization can greatly

slow down the performance of some types of

police operations, which cannot be allowed, especially in part of

prevention and suppression of criminal acts. If, for example,

organizational change specifies that about the realization of the arrest

which does not require special measures, the decision reached by the top

management of the police organization, can greatly slow down the

realization, and also reduce the performance of police officers. One of the

frequent organizational changes in modern police organizations is

downsizing. In the literature, this term is used to describe the process of

reducing the number of employees in order to increase business

efficiency. The basic goals of downsizing generally lead to the cost

reduction, the implementation of technology that does not require an

existing profile and number of workers and raising the competitiveness of

the company. In case of police organizations in modern conditions the

main reason for downsizing will be reducing the costs. The Government of

a country, within the national budget, has to find enough funds for all costs

for normal functioning of the police organization taking care that the safety

of citizens is on high level. However, economic crises affect many

countries trying to manage national financing as better as possible.

Consequently, they need to reduce costs and one way is to have fewer

people who will have their salaries paid from the national budget. Police

officers belong to one group of those people. In some countries, ministries

who are in charge of the police organization were obliged to reduce the

number of police officers (Kekic et. al. 2016).

An example is the Republic of Serbia where at the beginning of

2016 the Ministry of Interior was obliged to reduce the number of

employees among whom were police officers. Can downsizing have

negative effects on the performance of police officers? The answer is yes.

One study showed that only 22 percent of implemented restructuring in

this way adequately raise productivity. According to another study that

relates directly to the police organization, that number is 34 percent.

Commenting these results Perry notes that downsizing affects employees

with specific skills which they implemented and develop only in the certain

organization
thus leading to decreasing in performance of tasks of the dismissed

worker (Kekic et. al. 2016).

Social Performance

Trust is fundamentally the belief that individuals act according to

the societal norms of their assigned roles (Blair et al. 2021) emphasize

that trust in the police reflects the public’s view of their reliability and

service fulfilment. Citizen satisfaction with the police largely depends on

the quality of the service they receive, which acts as a gauge of

institutional functionality. Public cooperation with the police is essential for

crime prevention and order, underscoring the principles of democratic

policing (Chenane & Wright, 2018).

Police are pivotal in maintaining a state’s security, law, and order,

as various studies emphasize (Blair et al., 2021; Elfversson et al., 2023;

White et al., 2021). Studies on policing now heavily emphasize the

importance of police effectiveness, efficiency, and public cooperation.

Public trust in the police is essential for stability in nations with long-

standing conflicts, such as Somalia. However, in divided societies,

building trust is complex and requires extensive research (Muibu &

Olawole, 2022). Recent issues in some developing regions have led to a

negative perception of the police, mainly due to the actions of a few

officers, leading to diminished public trust (Kulachai &

Cheurprakobkit, 2023). Public cooperation is fundamental for police

effectiveness, as it is central to the criminal justice system (Pryce &

Gainey, 2022).

Despite the diversity of security actors, for the last two to three

decades, the leading responses to insurgent threats in contexts, such as

Afghanistan and Somalia have been harsh and rooted in a militarized war

model of counterinsurgency—approaches that have proved to be

detrimental in the long-term (White, 2018). Civil wars have negative and

long-term consequences for public trust in state institutions (Peña &

Dorussen, 2021). However, few studies have examined the post-peace

challenges of rebuilding trust in state institutions (Kurtenbach &

Rettberg, 2018). More recently, it has widely been understood that

citizen’s trust in police institutions is integral for stability and state

consolidation in nations that have been exposed to prolonged warfare

(Karim, 2019). This is particularly important for countries like Somalia,

where third-party peacekeepers have been deployed to maintain peace

and security. In these contexts, long-term peace and stability hinge upon

the state security sector’s ability to provide for and maintain security, law,

and order without external support after peacekeepers leave. However, to

operate effectively, security forces rely on citizens’ trust and require the

public’s willingness to cooperate with and empower local security forces

with greater discretionary authority (Muibu & Olawole, 2022).

Consequently, much of the citizenry of prolonged violent conflicts, such as

in Somalia, considers state forces illegitimate, refusing to collaborate.

Instead, local communities take proactive steps to provide for their own

security (Muibu, 2023). Therefore, in this study, we utilize the case of

Somalia to explore whether police effectiveness impacts public trust and

cooperation with the Somalia police service via citizen satisfaction. In

Somalia, persistent civil unrest and threats from insurgent groups have

impeded the revival of state-backed policing agencies. Only recently have

some Somali regions begun to restore basic community police services.

Therefore, the extended conflict shaped the local people’s views of these

new forces (Muibu, 2021). In countries like Somalia, where there is

ongoing political unrest and conflict, public trust in government institutions

is crucial (Abdi, 2023). Understanding what drives citizen satisfaction and

trust in these police services is essential, mainly to ensure that they act

fairly and protect public property (Wuschke et al., 2022).

Research since the 1960s and the 1970s has extensively studied

public perceptions of police performance (effectiveness) in developed

regions, such as China (Li et al., 2020), the United States (White

et al., 2021), and the UK (Wuschke et al., 2022). However, this issue has

yet to be explored in many developing countries (Wahyurudhanto, 2022).

While myriad studies over four decades have focused on the public’s

perceptions of the police and their willingness to cooperate with them,

Somalia’s policing experience remains under-researched, with only a few

exceptions, such as Hills (Muibu 2021).

 Therefore, four significant research gaps persist in this area of

study. First, despite myriad studies focusing on Western countries, there

remains a notable gap in understanding police dynamics in regions like

Africa, which could have unique authority dynamics (Lim & Kwak, 2022).

Second, while the West has extensive research on public trust in law

enforcement, such insights could be more helpful in developing nations,

such as the Horn of Africa (Melkamu & Teshome, 2023). Third, while the

detrimental impact of civil wars on public trust in state institutions, like that

in Somalia, is recognized, there is an evident gap in research on

rebuilding trust in policing post-conflict, especially considering their pivotal

role in such nations (Muibu, 2023). Finally, a deeper exploration is

required to understand the fundamental causes behind the varying levels

of trust in law enforcement agencies, highlighting an urgent need for

further investigation (Pryce & Gainey, 2022).

Research on public trust and cooperation with the police has

employed various theoretical frameworks. However, there needs to be

more examination of the applicability of social learning and performance

theories in policing, which this study utilized (Lim & Kwak, 2022). Social

learning theory suggests that past experiences shape future expectations,

where trust in police is seen as the confidence citizens have based on

their satisfaction with police practices, making it a subjective assessment

of police performance (Wahyurudhanto, 2022). According to performance

theory, trust in institutions is linked to their perceived efficiency in fulfilling

their responsibilities. Citizens concerned about crime, chaos, or

institutional bias have lower trust in the police, while those who feel

secure and unbiased tend to have higher trust in the police (Van

Craen, 2016).

This study delves into the nuances of policing, public cooperation

with the police, and trust in the context of Somalia’s prolonged conflict and

instability, filling specific gaps missing in broader global research. First, it

responds to academic calls for integrated studies on police effectiveness,

public cooperation, and trust in the police (Lim & Kwak, 2022; Melkamu &

Teshome, 2023; Muibu, 2023; Sun et al., 2017). Second, uniquely, this

study integrates police effectiveness, trust, and public cooperation with

the mediator of citizen satisfaction in a single model, helping to illuminate

these relationships. Third, the study combines two theoretical

perspectives: social learning theory and performance theory. Fourth,

given Somalia’s ongoing police sector reconstruction, this study offers

insights into the interplay of perceived police effectiveness (PPE), public

trust in the police (PTP), and public cooperation with the police (PCP)

through the underlying mechanism of citizen satisfaction (CSP). To the

researcher’s best knowledge, this combination has not been studied

before. Fifth, emphasizing CSP as a mediator between PPE, PTP, and

PCP offers an understanding of police institutions and policymakers,

which is crucial for enhancing police-community relations.

Theoretical Framework
 Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the role of

observational learning, self-efficacy, and reciprocal determinism in

shaping behavior. This theory can be related to factors affecting police

performance in several ways:

Police officers often learn from observing their peers, superiors, and

other law enforcement professionals. Effective performance can be

influenced by the quality of training and the behaviors modeled by

experienced officers.

An officer’s belief in their ability to perform tasks effectively (self-

efficacy) directly impacts their performance. Confidence built through

positive experiences, training, and support can enhance job performance

and decision-making under pressure.

This concept suggests that personal factors, behavior, and the

environment interact and influence each other. For police officers, a

supportive work environment, access to resources, and positive

reinforcement can improve performance, while negative environments can

hinder it.

Applying Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory to police performance

highlights the importance of role models, self-belief, and a supportive

environment in enhancing effectiveness and job satisfaction. Addressing

these factors can lead to better training programs, policies, and support

systems, ultimately improving police performance.

Conceptual Framework

This study's conceptual framework centers on investigating the

correlation between independent variables, specifically the factors

influencing police performance - encompassing personality traits,

organizational culture, and the scarcity of modern equipment, and the

dependent variable, which is the actual police performance comprising

Individual Performance, Organizational Performance and Social

Performance. Personality traits encompass individual characteristics and

behaviors that can impact performance, such as communication skills,

emotional intelligence, leadership qualities, and decision-making

approaches. Organizational culture pertains to the shared values, beliefs,

and norms within the police organization affecting teamwork, morale,

motivation, and ethical conduct. The scarcity of modern equipment

reflects the adequacy and availability of tools crucial for effective policing,

influencing operational efficiency and response times. Dependent

variables include individual performance, covering individual roles and

individual effectiveness, skills and attitude management focusing on

competencies, training, and growth opportunities enhancing individual

performance; and the organizational performance highlighting

interpersonal dynamics, relationships, and collaboration within the police

force and social performance that involves external stakeholders. By

discerning how these factors intertwine and influence one another, the

study aims to assess the overall effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of

policing at the Polomolok Police Station, seeking to offer insights for

optimizing conditions and bolstering performance outcomes in the police

force.

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Factors affecting the Police Police Performance

Performance
 Individual Performance
 Personality Traits
 Organizational
 Organizational Culture Performance

 Scarcity of Modern  Social Performance

Equipment

Figure No. 1

Conceptual Framework.

Chapter III
METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research methods, research locale,

respondents of the study, research instruments, data gathering procedure

and statistical treatment.

Research Design
 The researcher will use the Descriptive-Survey Design because

according to Creswell, (2002) asserts that Quantitative Research

originated in the physical sciences particularly in chemistry and physics

and it involves identification of attributes of a particular phenomenon

based on an observational basis, or the exploration of correlation between

two or more phenomena. In addition, using a descriptive survey research

design is a systematic and structured approach to collecting data from a

sample of individuals or entities within a larger population, with the

primary aim of providing a detailed and accurate description of the

characteristics, behaviors, opinions, or attitudes that exist within the target

group. This method involves the use of surveys, questionnaires,

interviews, or observations to collect data, which is then analyzed and

summarized to draw conclusions about the population of interest.

Research Locale

Polomolok is a municipality located in the province of South

Cotabato, Philippines. It is known for its agricultural industry, particularly in

the production of bananas, pineapple, and other crops. The municipality

of Polomolok is home to a diverse community of residents who rely on the

local government and law enforcement agencies to ensure their safety

and well-being.

Within Polomolok, there are three key law enforcement units that

play vital roles in maintaining peace and order in the area. The Polomolok
Police Sub-Station serves as a local policing unit that handles day-to-day

law enforcement activities within the municipality. It is responsible for

responding to emergencies, conducting patrols, and ensuring the safety of

the residents in Polomolok. The South Cotabato Provincial Police Office,

oversees law enforcement operations at a provincial level, including in

Polomolok. This office provides support, resources, and strategic direction

to local police stations, such as the Polomolok Municipal Police Station, to

ensure effective policing across the province. The Polomolok Municipal

Police Station, situated on S Cotabato - Sarangani Rd, is a critical

component of the local law enforcement infrastructure. This station is

dedicated to maintaining peace and order within the municipality of

Polomolok, implementing community policing initiatives, and working

closely with the community to address safety concerns and prevent crime.
 Together, the Polomolok Police Sub-Station, the South Cotabato

Provincial Police Office, and the Polomolok Municipal Police Station form

a comprehensive network of law enforcement agencies that collaborate to

uphold the rule of law, protect citizens, and create a secure environment

for the residents of Polomolok and the surrounding areas in South

Cotabato.

Figure 1. Map of the South Cotabato.

Figure 2. Map of the Polomolok Police Station.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of this study are the people of the community

within the Polomolok South Cotabato. The respondents will be consisting

of 100 citizen and they will be selected using purposive sampling. The

method of purposive sampling was used to develop the sample of the

research under discussion. According to this method, which belongs to

the category of non-probability sampling techniques, sample members are

selected on the basis of their knowledge, relationships and expertise

regarding a research subject (Freedman et al., 2007). In the current study,

the sample members who were selected had special relationship with the

phenomenon under investigation, sufficient and relevant work experience

in the field of police, active involvement in several police initiatives and

partnerships, as well as proven research background and understanding

of raw data concerning police performance.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researcher will start by drafting a detailed permission letter for

the Criminal Justice College Education Program, outlining the study's

purpose and the data needed. After sending the letter, they will await

approval with professionalism. Once approved, the researcher will create

a precise data collection tool aligned with research goals and ethical

standards. This tool will be distributed efficiently to participants via

physical means or other suitable methods. Respondents will be chosen

randomly to ensure a diverse range of perspectives, enhancing the

credibility and validity of the collected data for robust research findings.

Research Instrument

To implement this study, researchers developed a modified survey

questionnaire consisting of closed-ended questions with Likert scales, and

numerical rating scales. The questionnaire can be divided into sections to

measure specific aspects related to factors affecting the effectiveness of

police performance and other relevant variables. It can answer

consistently because every part was understood by the respondents.

The data gathering instrument has three (2) parts: Part I of the

research instrument determine the different factors affecting the police

performance, Part II consist of questions to the extent level of

effectiveness of police performance.

Four-Point Likert Scale

Scale Value Mean Range Interpretation

4 3.25-4.00 Always

3 2.50-3.24 Sometimes

2 1.75-2.49 Rarely
 1 1.00-1.74 Never

Source: https://youtu.be/lQX5lTMItrQ

Statistical Treatment

In this study, the researcher used different statistical tools to

analyze, tabulate, and to interpret the gather data from the respondents.

The following statistical tools were utilized by the researchers in this such

as frequency, percentage, weighted mean and Pearson’s Correlation

Coefficient like shows below;

Frequency – this refers to the number of respondents who will

response to specific question. This will be use to describe and analyze the

information gathered from the respondents.

Formula:

F= 1/T Where:

F= frequency

T= period

Percentage – this is the expression of the portion of the population

corresponding to a particular variable or items. This will be use to

describe and analyze the specific information of the respondents.

Formula:

%= F/N x 100

Where:
 %= percentage

F= frequency

N= total number of respondents

Weighted Mean – used to identify the corresponding weight and

the value of any particular observation measurement.

Formula:

x= ∑FX / ∑N

Where:

X= mean

∑= summation

F= frequency

x= value of result

N= total number of respondents

Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient – is a statistical measure that

evaluates the strength and direction of the relationship between two

continuous variables. It is considered the most effective method for

assessing associations due to its reliance on covariance. This coefficient

not only reveals the magnitude of the correlation but also its direction

(Statistics Solution).

Formula:
Ethical Consideration

When conducting research studies, it is crucial to consider various

ethical principles. First and foremost, informed consent is vital. The

participants will be fully informed about the research procedures and

potential risks involved, and they must give their voluntary consent to

participate. The researchers will ensure that the individual data is securely

stored and kept confidential. Any information that could potentially identify

a participant should be safeguarded.

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 QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE

EFFECTIVENESS OF POLICE PERFORMANCE

Direction: Please answer the following questions honestly by putting a

check mark (√) on the space provided for your answer.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Name (Optional):

__________________________________________________________

Age: _________ Gender: Male Female

Direction: Please answer the following questions honestly by putting a

check mark (√) on the space provided for your answer. Use the given
legend below.
Scale Description Interpretation

4 Always It denotes that the factors always affect the

effectiveness of police performance
3 Sometimes It denotes that the factors sometimes affect the
effectiveness of police performance.
2 Rarely It denotes that the factors rarely affect the effectiveness
 of police performance.
1 Never It denotes that the factors never affect the effectiveness
of police performance.

PART I. THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE EFFECTIVENES OF POLICE

PERFORMANCE

FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE POLICE RATINGS

PERFORMANCE 4 3 2 1

I. Personality Traits

a) They are approachable

b) They accept people the way they are

c) They change mood easily

d) They feel comfortable around people

e) They treat everyone with kindness and

sympathy

II. Organizational Culture

a) The organization mission and vision is clear

b) The overall communication is effective

throughout the organization

c) There’s transparency in how high-level

decisions is made

d) The organization ethics and compliance

policies clearly defined and carried out.

 e) They can voice concerns without fear of

repercussion.

III. Scarcity of modern equipment

a) All of the officers have and carry their own

equipment.

b) They use patrol car to roam within

community

c) Their station has all the equipment’s needed

d) They prevent all crimes with the use of

modern equipment

e) Their monitor the community with the use of

high-level devices

PART II. THE EXTENT LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENES IN POLICE

PERFORMANCE

POLICE PERFORMANCE RATINGS

4 3 2 1

I. Individual Performance

a.) They consistently complete the assigned

tasks accurately and on time.

b.) They consistently meet or exceed

performance expectations in their ole.

c.) They consistently demonstrate the necessary

skills and knowledge to perform their

 individual job effectively.

d.) They consistently take initiative and go

above and beyond what is required for them

in their respective field.

e.) They consistently seek feedback to improve

their individual performance.

II. Organizational Performance

a.) They are willing to help their colleagues and

offer support when needed.

b.) They demonstrate positive interpersonal

behaviors and maintain good relationships

with their co officers.

c.) They adhere to organizational policies and

procedures.

d.) They contributing to a positive work

environment by being respectful and

cooperative.

e.) They actively participating in team activities

and contribute to the success of the

organization.

III. Social Performance

a.) They cooperate with the public in crime

prevention and order

b.) They gain the public trust

c.) They satisfy the need of every citizen when it

comes to service, they receive

d.) Society participates and involves their self in

regard to safety and order

e.) They interact effectively