Before recruiting community police – Daily Trust

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, recently directed the police hierarchy in the country to commence the recruitment of special constables nationwide preparatory to the implementation of its community policing policy. Adamu consequently directed state police commands to set up screening committees. He ordered all state CPs, ACPs and DPOs to liaise with traditional rulers and community leaders in their domains to screen volunteers who must be of good character for their eventual engagement as special constables.

The police chiefs directive further said all those to be recommended must be resident in their respective communities and must also be between the ages of 21 and 50 with the willingness to serve the community. At least, 50 volunteers will be recruited from each of the 774 local government areas in the country to support community policing.

According to reports, the special constables, who would not be armed, are expected to handle charge room and administrative duties, crowd control, accident scene duties, alternative dispute resolution and other less sensitive and less risky functions. They will dress in police uniform but with different force numbers to distinguish them from the regular cops. Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, said the candidates for the constabulary job must be physically fit and gainfully employed.

With IGP Adamus directive on community policing coming so soon after the take-off of a south-western Nigeria security network, codenamed Amotekun, some Nigerians see the IGPs move as a reaction to the regional security outfit initiated by the six south-west governors. The initial apprehensions reported in some quarters may, however, seem to have been cleared after the south-west governors met with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, IGP Mohammed Adamu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami.

While we encourage and support every genuine effort at tackling insecurity in the country, we nonetheless have reservations about the guidelines for the take-off of community policing. For instance, the use of uniform by special constables raises concern among Nigerians who are witnesses to its flagrant abuse by conventional police who perpetrate illegalities including extortions at checkpoints and on the highways. The use of police uniform by special constables is one reason for many volunteers to seek recruitment at all cost; believing that uniform shall serve as their meal ticket after enlistment.

Another matter of public concern is the scanty details of screening procedure which prospective volunteers are expected to go through. Due to the deep-seated corruption in the country, it costs persons of questionable character or poor health nothing to obtain reports certifying them to be trustworthy or healthy.

It would be recalled that the Committee on Strengthening Internal Security Framework and Community Policing submitted its report in September 2019. The Committee, which was inaugurated by the federal government on May 7, 2019 had the mandate to study and analyse the findings, recommendations and implementation strategies of the Presidential Parley Report of the Senior Executive Course 4, 2018, of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.

Four months after the committee submitted its report, it is time for government to publish a White Paper. Nigerians need to know more about government proposals for community policing including its operational structure, functions, scope, parameters and funding. Every Nigerian is a stakeholder in community policing. While we encourage wider consultations before the proposed recruitment begins, we urge the National Assembly to conduct a public hearing on the whole concept of community policing.

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