Leveraging Existing Community Security Structures Through A People-Centered Public Safety Lens: Lessons from Bayelsa State

Public safety cannot be achieved through policing alone. It requires communities to have the capacity, trust, and structures to play an active role in identifying and preventing threats while working alongside formal security institutions.

This report examines the implementation of people-centred public safety approaches in Bayelsa State, drawing lessons from the PCPS Initiative’s interventions in Amassoma, Ondewari, and Elebele. It highlights how informal vigilante groups can be transformed into more accountable Neighbourhood Watch structures through human rights training, legal literacy, evidence documentation, and stronger links with the police.

The report also demonstrates that public safety extends beyond conventional crime prevention. From community-led environmental clean-ups that helped disrupt drug markets and strengthen youth engagement, to livelihood initiatives supporting women’s economic resilience, the Bayelsa experience shows how safer communities can be built by addressing the social and economic conditions that contribute to insecurity.

Informed by field evidence and the practical lessons of the PCPS Initiative, the report offers recommendations to strengthen community–police collaboration, improve legal and institutional coordination, support community security structures, and integrate livelihoods and preventive interventions into public safety planning.

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