The Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, has charged police personnel in the Federal Capital (FCT) to improve on their relationship with the public.
Baba gave the charge on Tuesday in Abuja during his one-day official visit to the FCT Police Command.
He said the visit was to boost their morale for effective crime prevention in the territory, adding that no security agency could succeed without good public relationship.
According to him, we are doing our best in recent time, but there is always room for improvement because our successes and achievements must be continuous to sustain the achievements recorded.
“The job of policing belongs to everybody and we must all come together to coorporate and synergise if we must police our communities effectively.
“Police, as a lead agency in internal security must exploit this area of collaboration with the people.
“The space is wide, there is no need for rivalry or to outsmart others because every security agency including the police are working to checkmate the activities of criminals,” he said.
Baba called on personnel of the command to put in their best to device means of detecting, preventing and punishing crimes and criminals.
The I-G urged Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), Area Commanders and Police Tactical Teams to ensure that crime prevention measures such as stop and search, road blocks and raids were effectively utilised.
He however, cautioned against the use of the crime prevention measures for abuse of office, extortion or to create difficult situations for road users.
“We must ensure that they serve the purpose for which they are deployed. Don’t raid because you want to detain people and begin to ask for bail.
“Don’t be on the road doing stop and search because you want to create difficult situation for road users so that you can extort.
“Whatever crime prevention measure you want to adopt, you must use it effectively and with the fear of God,” he said.
In his remark, the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT, Mr Babaji Sunday, said the command had developed and implemented operational policies and strategies aimed at combating crimes and criminality.
He said the operational policies and strategies were in compliance with the vision and mission of the I-G.
He however, noted that inadequate manpower, inadequate barrack accommodation for officers and men, inadequate patrol vehicles, trackers, drones, Tear Gas Smoke, arms and ammunition were major challenges confronting the command.
According to him, the command needs 10 Armoured Personnel Carrier, 15 Toyota Hilux, 40 motorcycles, Bullet proof jackets/ballistic helmets and 1,500 Walkie-Talkies to function effectively. (NAN)
