16th March, 2012
The idea of community policing in the country as experienced in the ongoing police reform will make the Nigeria Police more effective and efficient.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (retd), stated this at a stakeholders’ workshop on Community Policing in Lagos.
He said the idea would also make men of the force to be more professional and compare favourably with their counterparts in the developed world.
The minister explained that the essence of community policing was for the police to collaborate and partner with the community they serve.
Olubolade appealed to the people to accord security agents a great attention and cooperate with them in finding solutions to the country’s security challenge.
In his contribution, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Community Policing at the Police Headquarters, Abuja, Mr. Austin Iwar, described the idea as community-oriented police that would allow the police to be more responsible to the people, particularly in a democratic setting.
According to him, the idea will also go a long way to curb the present security challenge of terrorism.
The police chief stated that state and local governments could use it as a platform to provide security to the people by creating bills or bye laws along with the provisions of the constitution.
He urged community leaders to work with the police because, according to him, safety is everybody’s business and therefore should not be left to the police or the armed forces alone.
The workshop which was organised by the Ministry of Police Affairs, was attended by community and religious leaders from various segments of the society from the southwest zone of the country.