Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris on Monday disclosed that following a directive by the presidency, the force would launch the new national Community Policing initiative within the next took weeks to ensure communi8ty policing gets to the grassroots.
The IG made the disclosure just as he stated that establishment of the Police Public Relations School will strengthen the capacity and capabilities of spokespersons of the Nigeria Police Force.
Idris made the statement in Abuja at the commencement of 5-day training for spokespersons of states, zonal commands and training institutions at the inauguration of the Police Public Relations School.
He said that when fully operational, the school was expected to train officers in the 12 zonal commands, 36 states commands among others.
The IGP said that the force was making efforts to change public perception of the police by striving to do away with unethical behaviour.
He urged the PPROs attending the inaugural training at the school to extend the knowledge they would acquire to their colleagues in their respective commands.
“You should be the vanguard of the community policing strategy of the force” he said.
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Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Provost of the school and former Commissioner of Police, said it was important to train police officers on the emerging media.
“The police is always in the eyes of the public; as such it is important to train them” he said.
In his remarks, Mr Bayo Atoyebi, former Director-General, Nigeria Press Council, said the training was essential for police officers to discharge their duties professionally.
He charged the officers to practice what they would learn from the training to enhance their operations.
Dr. Rotimi Oladele, President, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), expressed disappointment that the force had for the last 40 years, failed to institutionalize public relations.
He assured that the institute would assist the police to sustain the school which he described as a `landmark achievement.’
Oladele commended the police for the synergy between it and other stakeholders that led to the establishment of the school.
Prof. Olu Ogunsakin, Chairman, Police Public Relations School establishment committee, said the school would provide officers training to meet the demands of the 21 century.
He said that the force had set a milestone through the establishment of the school that met international policing best practices.
