ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Forensic and Legal Psychology
Work Burnout and Community Policing Among Junior-Ranked Officers of the Nigerian Police
1. University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa
2. University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
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Abstract
This study investigates the psychological impact of burnout on community policing among junior Nigerian police officers. . The study employed a quantitative approach using a cross-sectional design, which involved 180 officers from three State Police Commands. Three hypotheses were tested with the Linear Multiple Regression statistical tool. Results showed that Emotional exhaustion significantly negatively predicted the practice of community policing (β = -.289, t = -3.196, p < .05). Personal accomplishment significantly positively predicted the practice of community policing (β = .387, t = 4.865, p < 001); and Depersonalization also significantly negatively predicted community policing (β = -.379, t = - 4.179, p < 001). The study concludes. The study suggests that increased emotional exhaustion and depersonalization lead to lower participation in community policing, while higher personal accomplishments encourage more active involvement. The study recommends professional development initiatives, supportive work environments, and comprehensive burnout prevention strategies.
Summary
Keywords
burnout, Community policing, Depersonalization, Emotional exhaustion, Nigeria Police, Personal accomplishment
Received
20 January 2026
Accepted
16 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Okoka, Kheswa and Amali. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Happiness Okoka
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