By Akanimo Kufre (The New Diplomat’s A/Ibom|C/River Correspondent)
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu has deployed 485 new police recruits to Akwa Ibom state, following the passing out parade of Batch 2/2020 Special Constabulary at the Police Training School, Odukpani, Cross River state on Tuesday.
The 485 recruits from Akwa Ibom State were officially pronounced Special Constabulary (Community Police Officers) by IGP Adamu, who was represented at the event by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 6 Headquarters, Calabar AIG Zaki M. Ahmed.
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The AIG congratulated the recruits for their perseverance during the one-month modicum training in Community Policing, Professional Studies and Legal/Liberal Studies amongst others.
He added that the programme was a brain-child of the Inspector-General of Police initiated as one of the strategies of the Nigeria Police designed to employ an all-inclusive mechanism to aid the police in the quest to achieve its internal security mandate in the country.
He added that the force took into consideration the increasing complexity of crime and the challenges of policing a vast and diverse country and introduced the people-oriented method that will bring about trust, consent and partnership between the police and the people.
The AIG highlighted their duties to include: Crime prevention and detection, Conflict Resolution, Intelligence Gathering, Law and Order maintenance, complementing the conventional police in patrol of the public space within their communities, advising the public on safety measures, security tips, dealing with minor offences/social vices, working with communities, schools, young people, businesses, religious/cultural groups, recreational centres and hospitality outfits as well as assisting in traffic management etc.
According to him, their deployment back to their villages/towns and LGA will definitely fill the human and material assets of the Nigeria Police currently tied down to the management of low level crimes and redirect such assets and Operations to high-profile crimes that constitute major threat to community safety and security.
Through the community police structure, members of the public believe crime would be nipped in the bud, as well as a reduction in the high incidents of jungle justice witnessed in akwa ibom state capital, Uyo and environs.
In December 2020 alone, about six criminal suspects were burnt by mob action in Uyo, following apprehension over criminal incidents such as stealing car battery, bag snatching and burglary in the state.
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