By TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, has expressed serious concern over the unjustifiable use of firearms by personnel, in flagrant violation of Force Order 237.

Commissioner Mukan made this known at a meeting with Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Heads of Tactical Units, including Inspectors, as well as Rank and File of the Command.

Addressing the police officers, the Commissioner warned respective supervising authorities, as a matter of urgency, to closely monitor their activities and, therefore, stem the tide or risk removal and query.

The Commissioner, who was visibly worried by the development, maintained that he would no longer tolerate these wanton acts of recklessness on the part of the Force personnel.

He promised to re-strategise with a view to putting potent measures in place that would ultimately curtail and contain the embarrassing trend.

The Rivers police chief also directed the Force’s medical team to embark on regular visits to police formations to conduct psychological evaluations on their personnel and possibly identify those addicted to alcohol and other substances.

Mukan seriously charged all Heads of Departments (HODs) or Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to fortify their stations or formations and embark on regular raids of criminal hideouts as well as blackspots across the Police Command.

He assured Rivers residents that the Christmas and New Year celebrations would be carried out peacefully and seamlessly.

The police commissioner noted that adequate measures had been put in place to forestall acts capable of undermining the peace of the State.

He appealed to the public to increase their security consciousness and report all suspicious characters and movements, including acts of extortion and professional misconduct by personnel to the police authority for appropriate disciplinary action. (Daily Sun)

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