Nigeria Police building stronger ties with community policing

The Nigeria Police Force is strengthening the fabric of community policing to get closer and create stronger credibility of its commitment to ensuring improved safety with remarkable community inclusiveness in policing pattern.

In doing this, the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, on Thursday inaugurated the Area Command, Local Government and Divisional community policing advisory committees  at the Area ‘A’ Command in Lagos.

Represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Ahmed Iliyasu, IGP Adamu said community policing has proven to be a better approach to policing where community members get involved and play their roles in matters of their peaceful co-existence and security.

He said that the approach shifts the focus of policing from reactive law enforcement to a proactive frame where problem-solving represents a major change traditional policing to community policing.

He noted that “the prevention of crime, protection of lives and property, enforcing of laws and regulations as provided by the Constitution would be best achieved through robust relationship with the community.

“To solve community problem as defined by the communities themselves, this connotes democratic quality at its best. Community policing ensures the police becomes an integral part of the community in which they work.

“The sense of belonging makes them the primary receptors for intelligence and therefore providing better security against crime, criminal violence, banditry, social vices and disorder.”

The named committees include Citizenry Committee, Conciliatory Committee, Peace Committee, Vigilance Committee, and Police Response Committee.

The IGP said the committees would undertake the following responsibilities;

1. Act as the custodian of community policing in the state and dealing with community policing matters, while reporting to the state security council shared by the governor of the state through the police commissioner
2. To manage and coordinate state policing programme, foster security awareness among those progress on community policing
3. To assist the police in the identification, vetting and selection of process of community policing officers (CPOs) within their communities
4. Help identify security threats in local communities and work with the local police involving appropriate approaches when addressing them
5. Advice on general security issues as they affect community
6. Offer feedback on issues touching on police –community partnership, with the view to aiding the sustenance of trust between the police and the community.

He noted that in order to deepen engagement, sub-committees can be created to interface with the police to handle some specific problem within the community.

He added that “The idea would enable the police to concentrate on this issue of crime and dissuade people from reporting frivolous and civil matters.”

The inauguration of the committee members was done by the Commissioner of Police, Lagos, Hakeem Odumosu, who tasked the members to live up to the responsibility they have been entrusted with.

Speaking earlier, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Area ‘A’ Command, Mr. Bode Ojajuni, expressed confidence that the approach would support relationship between the police and the community and enable people take responsibility in their communities.

He said he was also confident that members of the committees would function well and with commitment to ensuring results for the benefit of their communities.

His words: “The three committees to be inaugurated today, namely the Area Command Community Policing Advisory Committee, Local Government Community Policing Advisory Committee and the Divisional Community Policing Committee are composition of men and women of proven integrity, patriotic compatriots and God-fearing personalities.

“These men and women believed in Nigeria Police Force and Nigeria project, which engendered their resolve to serve in these committees to the benefit of mankind and a secure nation.

“The functions and responsibilities of each committee have been spelt out in the community policing blueprint and members shall be availed of it as they set to work.”