The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2020, inaugurated community policing in the state.

He said the launch of the State Community Policing Advisory Committee and its operations arm, the State Community Policing Committee was geared towards improving security in the state.

The governor instituted members of the two committees at a ceremony held at the State House in Alausa, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile.

The SCPAC is co-chaired by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, and the Chairman of Council of Obas and Chiefs in Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu.

Sanwo-Olu said,

The work that the Police are expected to do becomes more difficult when they are expected to do it alone. No matter how well-resourced or technologically advanced a Police Force might be, there might be no progress without the trust and support of the communities in which they operate. Every citizen has a role to play in ensuring that the security architecture functions optimally.

We are implementing this policing initiative with the sole objective of creating a platform for citizens’ participation towards improving security in our communities.

Community policing, in its ideal implementation, will take a lot of pressure off the Police Force and allow them to focus their energy and resources where it matters most. It will give citizens and residents a strong sense of participation in governance, and strengthen the social contract between the Government and the governed. A citizen-centric approach to tackling crime and criminality is a big plus for democratic practice and governance.

Also, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Training at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, David Folawiyo, who represented the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, said Nigerian had reached a point where the police must interface with community members in maintaining social order.

It is a bottom-up approach that shifts focus on reactive law enforcement to proactive problem solving,

he said.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.