By Frank Momoh
The Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has said the Force is embracing the concept of community policing so as to build strong partnership with the citizens.
In order to achieve its mandate, he added that the Public Relations Department of the Nigeria Police remains critical to this process.
Welcoming its Public Relations Officers from across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to a capacity development programme at Awka, Anambra State, Adamu, said the programme is part of his administration’s commitment to the enhancement of capacity of its officers.
As according to him, the primary responsibility to manage the image and information dissemination process towards re-positioning the Nigeria Police and changing the uninformed perceptions and faulty narratives about the Nigeria Police Force.
He said: “This is with a view to re-branding the Force, advancing our fortunes, and restoring our primacy within the internal security architecture of the Nation.
“Unarguably, certain indiscretions and perceived in-actions by some personnel of the Force as well as the security challenges in some parts of the country impact negatively on the image of the Force.
“This reality coupled with the dynamic nature of crime, rapidly advancing information and communication technology, and the changing policing environment that we deal with in the line of our duty have combined to redefine both the concept of policing and the perception of the police by the citizens.
“Indeed, experts have asserted that there is an intertwining relationship between public perception and the effectiveness of the Police to attain its internal security mandate.
“The import of this, ladies and gentlemen, is that our ability to win over public trust and confidence as a pathway to crime management is precedent on the capacity of you, the officers here seated to re-brand the police and project it positively to the citizens.”
He said the commitments of the Police have made it to equip the Police Public Relations Officers with necessary skills and knowledge to efficiently engage the public and effectively manage the image and perceptions about the Force.
He said: “It is my expectation, our dear guests and officers, therefore, that at the end of the workshop, your capacity would have been significantly broadened and your skills sharpened for optimal performance especially in the area of bridging the gap between the Police and members of the public and enhancing a people-friendly and Community -driven Police Force.
“It is also my expectation that you shall at the end of this programme, imbibe the concept and practice of strategic information management, and develop strong critical thinking ability needed to dissect and manage complex Public Relations challenges in the most professional manner.
“To a very large extent, the efforts of the FPRO and his team of PPROs across the country have not gone unnoticed by the public. I must therefore, commend you for your efforts which are positively impacting public perception of the Force.”
He said there is still much work to be done towards correcting the age-long stereotypes about the Force, adding: “I challenge you not to rest on your oars but maintain optimal professionalism at all times. You must re-invent the image of the Force. I encourage you to take advantage of the new media and modern technology to do this and also ensure timely dissemination and response to issues. You must master your turfs and strengthen your relationship with your internal and external public.”