Delta Government on Wednesday presented 378 Special Constabularies who recently graduated from training to the people of the state as part of efforts towards establishing community policing in the state.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa made the presentation at the Community Policing Sensitisation Awareness Campaign held at the Events Centre Asaba.

He said that with the overwhelming increase in crime rate, the approach to community policing has become inevitable.

Represented by Secretary to the State Government, Chiedu Ebie, Governor Okowa urged the Special Constabularies to see their engagement as a clarion call to serve their communities.

According to him, “Today’s sensitization/awareness campaign is underscored by the need to bring to the fore the roles and duties of the 378 (three hundred and seventy-eight) newly trained Special Constabularies, who will be deployed to their various local communities in the state, where invariably they would cultivate closer ties and affinity with community leaders and hopefully ensure the security of citizens at the local level.

“You will recall that not too long ago, this same venue played host to Leaders of the South-South Region, the IGP and the Police High Command in the form of a town hall meeting and interactive session where in issues of security were extensively discussed and the IGP rolled out his plans on the concept of community policing in the face of rising insecurity and crime.

“I am glad that today, the issue of community policing has progressed from mere thoughts into a reality recruitment and training of over 10,000 Constabularies nationwide and I must commend the IGP, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu on this feat.

“Clearly, the evolution of Community Policing in Nigeria places a demand on the police to better appreciate the needs of citizens, who expectedly look forward to a more trustworthy relationship with them.

“I therefore urge all the newly recruited Special Constabularies to see their task as one that places a responsibility of trust and service.

“In understanding the sociology of crime in our society, it is apparent that criminal activities are initiated mostly at the local level and as such your deployment to your various localities of origin to serve would ensure that the Police becomes part of the neighbourhood.

He restated the support of the State Government to the Nigeria Police for this laudable initiative designed to change the age-long approach to tackling crime through a new strategy of employing partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively deal with the immediate and largely localised conditions that stimulate crime and other social disorder,” Okowa stated.

He appreciated traditional rulers in the state for their support towards ensuring adequate security in their domains.

He congratulated the Constabularies on their successful training and also congratulated the outgoing Commissioner of Police on his new posting as AIG Zone 13, Awka, Anambra State.

Earlier, outgoing Police Commissioner in the state, AIG Hafiz Inuwa Mohammed said with the successful passing out of 378 successful Special Constabularies, additional manpower has been added to support policing in the different Local Government Areas.

“The creation of the Special Constabularies is a way of involving the community in the policing architecture as envisioned by the Inspector General of Police in the domestication of Community Policing strategy to strengthen the operationalisation and intelligence gathering of the Force.

“The intending Special Constabularies here in Delta were jointly screened and shortlisted by the Local Government Community Policing Advisory Committee (LGCPAC) and Divisional Community Policing Committee (DCPC) from the twenty five local government areas in the state in conjunction with the Council Chairmen,” Inuwa stated.

Chairman of the occasion, DIG Sotonye Wakama (Rtd), said the Police Force has been quite concerned about its ability to perform effectively in an atmosphere of rising population and increasing crime wave.

He said community policing was adopted worldwide because it embodies the characteristics and traits of other policing strategies.

He said the essence of Community policing entails taking a retrospection on where we were and where we are now and urged police officers to change their style of coercive force.

DIG Wakama said that Community Policing's components of partnership, problem solving and organisational transformation was already embedded in the new Police Act and urged the police and the citizenry to work together to curb the rising crime wave in the country.

In his remark, Chairman Traditional Rulers Council and Co-Chairman State Community Policing Advisory Committee (SPAC), Delta State, HRM Obi Dr Emmanuel Efeizomor II, said Community Policing became essential because security has become an essential ingredient of governance.

He congratulated the Constabularies on their successful appointment and training which he said will bring peace and harmony to the state and show good example for others to follow.

“On behalf of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, we congratulate you hoping that you will not fail,” Efeizomor said.

He urged the police as an establishment to carry out an image cleansing, adding: “Nothing will stop this country from having a viable and productive Nigeria Police and it is on this note that the establishment of Community Policing becomes very imperative.

“The uniform is only a mark of identification otherwise the work of policing belongs to all and sundry. This opportunity demands that all of us must place our hands on deck to ensure the successful take off of Community Policing in Delta.

“Delta Traditional rulers commend Governor Okowa for his outstanding contributions in setting up this Special Constabularies to ensure attainment of peace in the state,” Obi Efeizomor said.

Course Leader of the Special Constabularies, Chukwuji Monday, appreciated Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the government and people of Delta for their support to the Constabularies.

He said they have been adequately trained to embark on the task ahead,adding that they will not disappoint the government and the people.

•PHOTO: AIG Hafiz Adamu addressing a cross section of the police force and Constabularies at the event. PHOTO: JIBUNOR SAMUEL

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