Sector Policing. Origins And Prospects

This research paper by Bill Dixon and Janine Rauch examines the introduction of sector policing in South Africa, framing it as a "practical manifestation" of community policing. The authors analyze the South African Police Service's (SAPS) 2003 National Instruction on Sector Policing and draw comparative lessons from the failure of a similar model implemented in London during the 1990s.

• Sector policing in South Africa is defined as a style of policing that divides areas into smaller managerial sectors with full-time police officers assigned to patrol them, identify problems, and maintain constant contact with local communities. It is viewed as a practical application of community policing, focusing on local geography, community consultation, and problem-solving methodologies.
• The implementation of sector policing by the South African Police Service (SAPS) involves dividing station geographic areas into sectors where managers must conduct community profiling and establish consultation groups. Due to personnel constraints, the model relies heavily on Police Reservists (volunteers) in both urban and rural settings.
• A case study of sector policing in Holloway, North London (1991-1993), indicates that the model ceased to exist in London within a decade, largely replaced by 'borough policing' in 1999. The failure was attributed to difficulties in defining communities, resistance from the police 'occupational culture', inadequate resources, and a government focus on measurable arrest figures and response times over 'soft' community policing goals.
• Research across Britain outside of London found no consistent evidence that sector-based problem-oriented policing changed police practices or significantly impacted public perceptions of the police.

APA

Dixon, B., & Rauch, J. (n.d.). Sector Policing. Origins And Prospects. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-97-sector-policing.-origins-and-prospects-bill-dixon-and-janine-rauch

Chicago

Dixon, Bill, and Janine Rauch. Sector Policing. Origins And Prospects. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-97-sector-policing.-origins-and-prospects-bill-dixon-and-janine-rauch.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dixon |first1=Bill |last2=Rauch |first2=Janine |title=Sector Policing. Origins And Prospects |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-97-sector-policing.-origins-and-prospects-bill-dixon-and-janine-rauch |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dixonndsector, author = {Dixon, Bill and Rauch, Janine}, title = {{Sector Policing. Origins And Prospects}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-97-sector-policing.-origins-and-prospects-bill-dixon-and-janine-rauch}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }