Public Perception towards Police Corruption: A Case Study of Tehsil Takht Bhai

Abstract

Throughout the world, the department of police has been established for enforcing the law, protecting the life and property of the people, and ensuring peace. Police play a vital role in maintaining law and order in the society as well as controlling crimes and their services are considered as good, but police corruption has also occurred throughout history and therefore it is by no means a new phenomenon. The issue of corruption in police in terms of lodging first information report (FIR), during investigation and detention, calls for immediate attention from the researchers because it negatively affects justice delivery in society. The current study was conducted in Tehsil Takht Bhai, of district Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan, which examined the perception of the general public, drivers, elected representatives, lawyers, past prisoners, and the police tout about police corruption. The study was qualitative specifically based on thematic research design. A stratified purposive sampling technique has been utilized, while the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used as a tool for collecting primary data.   Further, focus group discussions were elaborated narrated and linked with the literature (thematic analysis) to extract findings. Research findings show that corruption is prevalent in police at different levels, and it is suggested that media campaigns, public awareness, and legislation about corruption need to be implemented to control corruption in the police.