What constitute an ideal police man, in searching for ways to reorganize,reorient and reposition our police force, i am seeking opinions on what your vision of an ideal model should be.Please don't just browse this, contribute!."they" do read this or have it read to them.

even if they change or implement new policies,nigerian police would never change,not a curse oh,just a true fact

Like I have said before Nigerians problem is that there is no security, pretty lawless society, err laws are there but people don;t obey them

I have always said personally that if i am the Nigerian president, i will task the National Orientation Agency to re-orientate the whole Nigerian Community inclusive of the cabinets and infrastructure.

We need a re orientation of the insaned nigeria before anything else.

Even a normal police officer is so ignorant of human rights, not to talk of a common hawker who litter the streets.

To begin with the "Force" should be dropped from the name The Nigeria Police Force.

It seems that it is only in Nigeria that the Police uses the word Force, maybe this is partly responsible for the way they bahave forgetting that their jobs do not require the use of force or excessive force while dealing with the public.

That is why i detest the name "Operation fire for fire".


Its so weird that it justified various attrocities commited by the Police.

also, they need to change their uniform to black and white, lol

That is when you will see some of them really dirty, lol


I personally think 30 percent of the force should be disarmed. Only special Units should be allowed to use firearms. The rest should make use of stun guns and bullet proofs should be made cumpulsory for every officer.

Is the Police not a reflection of the kind of society we have?

If we are all clean, decent and law-abiding people, the police will have no choice but to change: first because members of the police are recruited from among the general public, second because they wont find too many unruly criminals whom they can jostle around PLUS, there'll be less activity in police stations thereby making them feel less important than they currently feel.

Of course, the leaders have their parts to play in this. They need to start a proper re-orientation programme.

@easy.whilu you think you are right, i believe that the police force are meant to bring sanity and proper security to live and properties.

There are just no infrastructures in Nigeria.

Do you realise that if you live in the UK, and you steal a vehicle, the police can trace where you are within minutes, how


First of all, after the case has beeen reported, they radio all officers within the vicinity to be on the look on,

check all speed cameras for where you went past, and if your car has a GPS, trace you via that, if not, they use cameras,

If they get your name, they run it on records database,

They can get all informationa bout you, inclusive of your mothers name, lol


Now tell me, do the Nigerian police force have a criminal and citizen database?,

Even the Immigration service does not know how many Nigerians hold its international passport not to talk of ordinary police force, lol

Are you sure they have computers sef?,

not to talk of a central server.

How can a primary 6 leaver officer use a PC?, lol

Gbengaijot, I'm glad you stated all those things that are NOT available to the police and will therefore hinder them from carrying out their duries effectively (even if they wanted to). Do you then blame the police for the country's lack of proper checkable datebase? do you blame the police solely for lack of infrastructure?

The problem is a problem with the whole country and you cannot single out the police for harsh criticism. I'm not saying that they dont deserve criticism but they cannot be singled out of the multifaceted mess that the Nigerian society has become over the years.

gbengaijot Thank you the issue with the police in Nigeria resides in the presidency, we have law makers and president who failed to fund the police with adequate equipments and ammunition to perform their duties.
go to the police station and see how disoriented the place is.  No computers, they are still using files to record criminal cases.
police salary is a joke, how can you pay someone 9000 Naira a month and you expect them to perform?
No housing, and more over, the issue with the police force is also visible in all the security agents in Nigeria, Immigration customs are all collecting bribes left and right.

MAMAJAMA:

gbengaijot Thank you the issue with the police in Nigeria resides in the presidency, we have law makers and president who failed to fund the police with adequate equipments and ammunition to perform their duties.
go to the police station and see how disoriented the place is. No computers, they are still using files to record criminal cases.
police salary is a joke, how can you pay someone 9000 Naira a month and you expect them to perform?
No housing, and more over, the issue with the police force is also visible in all the security agents in Nigeria, Immigration customs are all collecting bribes left and right.

When we get tired, as a people, of what the politicians are dishing out to us, we will do something about it. The problem is not just with the presidency, the problem is with MOST NIGERIANS having no regards for the society at large; being greedy and wanting fast money, always seeking the easy way out, always wanting to reap where we did not sow, always ready to jump a queue, always ready to bribe our ways through any situation.

when we collectively examine ourselves and make changes, we'll have institutions that befit us.

Go to the Nigerian High Commission in London and you see Nigerians never wanting to join a queue; always looking to speak with a known person within the High commission to have their ways before others who got there before them, you will also see the officials calling in their friends to be attended to before those who are on the queue.

Tell me if it's the president who instructed them to let their pals join the queues!!!

Tell me if the politicians instructed them to be rude to you as soon as they discover you're JUST a Nigerian whereas they are extremely courteous when dealing with white people!!!

I have read a lot of criticism here of the police force but very little solution to the problem, so i will set the ball rolling. I am an advocate of community policing! What does that mean you ask?
Community policing is a collaborative effort between the police and the community that identifies problems of crime and disorder and involves all elements of the community in the search for solutions to these problems. It is founded on close, mutually beneficial ties between police and community members.Community policing offers a way for law enforcement to help re-energize our communities. Developing strong, self-sufficient communities is an essential step in creating an atmosphere in which serious crime will not flourish. At the center of community policing are three essential and complementary core components: community partnership, problem solving and change management.

Community partnership recognizes the value of bringing the people back into the policing process. All elements of society must pull together as never before if we are to deal effectively with the unacceptable level of crime claiming our neighborhoods.

Problem solving identifies the specific concerns that community members feel are most threatening to their safety and well-being. These areas of concern then become priorities for joint police-community interventions.

The system in place now in Nigeria where an officer is recruited in Ibadan and transfered to Kano is not ideal, community involvement is pushed back when such officer is alien to the custom he finds himself. Patrol officers are the primary providers of police services in community policing efforts. They handle the daily policing needs of the community. The entire police organization backs the efforts of the neighborhood officers.
Effective community policing depends on optimizing contact between patrol officers and community members so that the officer develops an intimate knowledge of the day-to-day workings of the community and becomes a familiar figure to community members.
Establishing and maintaining mutual trust is the central goal of community partnership. Trust will give the police greater access to valuable information that can lead to the prevention of and solution of crimes. It will also engender support for police activities and provide a basis for a productive working relationship with the community that will find solutions to local problems.

Given the current climate of distrust in many of our communities, police commissioners and their officers will need to make a concerted effort to forge bonds of understanding and cooperation with community members. Building trust will require ongoing effort, but it is essential to effective community policing.

community policing sounds good, but you cant recruit a police in Ibadan and train him in Ibadan and leave him in Ibadan to be non partial in discharging his duties. even in FBI training you are relocate to a different zone from where you are accustomed to. 1st solution, we need educated policemens, equipment, housing funding and better communication device and transportations. Not until one of the big powerful people in child or family member is killed by criminals, we will never see a change

Easyy:

Gbengaijot, I'm glad you stated all those things that are NOT available to the police and will therefore hinder them from carrying out their duries effectively (even if they wanted to). Do you then blame the police for the country's lack of proper checkable datebase? do you blame the police solely for lack of infrastructure?

The problem is a problem with the whole country and you cannot single out the police for harsh criticism. I'm not saying that they don't deserve criticism but they cannot be singled out of the multifaceted mess that the Nigerian society has become over the years.

You sure didnt read my first post, did u?,

I made a statement that "the infrastructures are just not there",

I assume the fact that you know that the government and the Police committee are jointly responsibel for that.

Look, my frist post was about National re-orientation. If Nigerians can jump queues at the embassy, they need re oreintation, , if they can drive on the wrong motor way, they need re orientation, e.t.c

@MAMAJAMA

Like the politician always say, all politics is local. the basic of community policing is getting to know each other at the local level, Yes! we will have the abuse of system in discharge of duties, but I'm not worried about that now lets identify and get the criminal out of our neighboorhood, one street at a time.

The "Nigerian Police Force" should be disbanded. We need a new organisation starting from scratch. I think the average Nigerian policeman should be educated at least to HND level. They need to be trained (intellectually) as police work is not only by the gun you carry or the uniform you wear.

They need a proper Police academy, if they have resources ( which they should from all the N20 they collect on the street!) they should even outsource the training of the police force to another country. What I mean is that invite other police forces that have been successfull at reducing crime rates (i.e it does not neccessarily have to be from US/UK, see low crime rate in countries like Singapore!) They need to conduct a study on countries that have low crime rates with an effective police force and then get our policemen trained with this people.

In terms of structure and specialisation of task, I think:
The new police force should be divided into 3 divisions ( Ground Force, Investigative Officers and Monitoring Officers). For clarification, ground force should consist of officers that are physically present patrolling on the streets (but no police check point!) Investigative officers should be those who are tasked to solving crimes and monitoring officers should be those who are responsible for keeping track of crime rates ( students with degrees in economics or those with good mathematical abilities fit well into this category).


With high unemployment rates among graduates , I feel the police should use this opportunity to recruit graduate students. Of course the issue of salary is critical to the work of the policeman, thats where the financial support of the government is required.

If the police is willing to change and they are genuinely looking for a solution, they can contact me on 999!.

Dats just my 50kobo sense!.

gbengaijot:

You sure didnt read my first post, did u?,

I made a statement that "the infrastructures are just not there",

I assume the fact that you know that the government and the Police committee are jointly responsibel for that.

Look, my frist post was about National re-orientation. If Nigerians can jump queues at the embassy, they need re oreintation, , if they can drive on the wrong motor way, they need re orientation, e.t.c

Thanks for clarifying that.

We need not just a new Police, but a New Nigeria of re-riented people.

A lot of people think the problem lies with a restructure of the police set up. They dont seem to realise that it's 'garbabe in, garbabe out'- the police is made up of people from amongst us and if we are good, the police will be good. If we are bad, the police will be bad.

new Nigerian police without the force and brutality ?


simply impossicant

Guess the I G knows something afterall. NPF is sending 51 "officers" to Houston to learn about community policing. Its the rave among police Dept's worldwide, welcome on board NPF though it took you awhile. Having said that, hope our student cops also learn how to truly serve the citizen, by being courteous, friendly and dedicated to duty. And this hoping the top hierarchy provide them the equipments needed to make the NPF really capable. Its hermetically proven better equipment equate better services.

When you start to think about a new nigeria police force then you should start to think about how the supreme court would legalize the 20 naira and how the NLC should fight on behalf of the police for increase in birth right from N20 to N40 and if you must know that N20 is only applicable 2 commercial vehicles while privately owned cars starts from N500 and above.

They would start by telling you they want to investigate you and they would continue by telling you, your car was smuggled into the country when they aint customs, they would say they need to be sure you personally registered your car through the front door and not the back door when they aint the ministry of Transportation, they would ask for your fire extinguisher, they would ask for your C-caution when they aint the FRSC! Nigerian Police are just too wonderful that going to wherever to learn how to do community police is an attempt to lead by example and show them just how sweet it is to be a police in Nigeria and i am sure at the end of it all, they

@Ashiwaju

I am a bit passionate where issues concerning the NPF is debated, afterall "pops" was one of them before he relocated to heaven. there are really good men out there in uniform serving the nation, unfortunately we come across the jerks in our daily dealing with the men in blue. Get to know someone in uniform closely and privately you will be surprised how intelligent they are and how much they really want to make a difference in our society, go to any police school or colleges across the nation and see what those young men go thru, i just wonder why anyone even join the NPF.unfortunately most of the cadet cops, by the time they graduate are so well accustomed and addicted to that N20 that they believe its their birthright.

Thats the spirit men, never under estimate the power of N20 cuz 20 x 50 bus is 1000 a day x 7 days x 4 weeks = 28000 divide it by 3 and add that to thier monthly salary of 7500. you ll see y they aint ready to stop and even the i.g cannot tell em to stop and yet he gets a 6months extension for what? i dunno

You need to visit a police barack to see why the aposix actually happened. . . Zero welfare even though no one absolutely no one forced them 2 join da force in d first place, rather than being proud to serve they are proud to collect 20 box and 500 respectively. . . RIP 2 your Pop, he must have been a good man and must have served deligently but my friend gone are the days when the black uniform hasnt penetrated through the flesh of the police! now they eat black, drink black and sleep black!

it's amazing how people are quick to judge and bash the police in this forum. is it because we have dealings with the police on daily basis? Ashiwaju tell me what is the police doing that the customs and the immigration officials not doing ten times worse? not to say I support the extortion. Do you know the percentage of repatriated Nigerians or visitors that are subjected to money collection at the airports? 1 in every 3. Go to SEME boarder or Badagri boarder to see what our so call customs officials are doing. Even local traders and business owners are corrupt in Nigeria so next time you point one finger at the police. the other 4 is pointing at you and other criminals in the society.

The problem with police in Nigeria is not leadership. we have a loose government and cabinet that is not ready to provide security to protect the citizens. the presidency is using money to send people like ALAM EX BAYELSA governor overseas for medical treatment.
They are ordering bullet proof cars for senators and governors. we are getting 2 new presidential jets and yet no allowance is provided to the people we expect to protect the masses. now tell me. Go to ASO ROCK and see how many policemen they have there with well equipped weapons. why can't they provide the same ammunition to the local policemen?

why do we have TEN APC cars in ABUJA the big man state and none in LAGOS?. why is OKADA FLUSHED out of abuja and not in all other cities? why do we have British taxis in ABUJA and non in other cities?

Well said buddy! but the issue is that top hierarchy are not letting the benefits due to some of these guys thru. there was a case which unfortunately i don't have the details to right now concerning our force that served with THE U.N, they were paid in dollars which is standard in peace keeping missions and the Nigeria official or leaders converted that money into naira, and paid them the equivalent of their salary. issues like that affect morals of the men. we need to shake the tree vigorously and let all the bad fruit down and then watch it grow back. it might take some time, but it can be done.

In my prior writeup i advisedly advocated that the I G position should be an elected one like the county sheriffs we have in U S, that way someone could be held responsible for all thefolly going on in the country. It may just work.

I don't blv that story have you seen some of the police officers that came back from the peace keeping missions? they are well paid, most of them even bought cars houses, I know of at least 5 that I spoke to and they are willing to do it again at all cost. I repeat when the presidency and the senate takes the police issue serious. we will have a professional organization. tell me one thing what does the ARMY does that is so special that makes them earn more salary than a police officer? when was the last time Nigerian army been or exposed to war? why do we pay and provide better housing, cars and armunitions to the ARMYand forget about the one we need the most? MOWAPA take for example the police officers in CHICAGO after basic training are earning average $45,000 per year. they have the equipment, cars and tech you can think of, and yet they are finding it hard to curtail CABRINI GREEN THUGS. and on the other hand we hand Nigeria police flash lights and expect them to stop a rubber with semi automatics.

the IG position is elected by the president based on the recommendation of the police service commision and the approval of the senate. we have competent police men in Nigeria. what we need is better pay and housing and ammunitions, and watch how fast criminals desert Nigeria.

Just couldn't agree with you more mamajama, to even compare the equipment available to Daley(chicago mayor) boys with what NPF has will be ludicrous. i believe that until we start paying living wage to our force, we shall continue to see more of the N20 police. with inflation maybe it will become N50

@ Mo wapa,

You only felt the collecting of the normal 20 naira by our nigerian police force is illegal, I bet is not, and every soon, it would be sited from the constitution.

I still believe they need the 20 20 naira collection, is helping them to take care of their day to day activities.

@ Topic,
The new Nigeria Police Force will implement the collection of 20 naira.

``In the year 2006, the annual budget of the police was N85billion. Divide that by the total number of policemen, i.e.

335,000, and what you have is N253,731 per police per year. Now divide that by 12 months, the answer is N21,144.

That is the amount that is supposed to kit, train and provide salary and allowance for a policeman. Is it not ridiculous?’’

Now tell me what can you protect with that peanut money?

http://hrw.org/reports/2005/nigeria0705

There is a damaging report by human right watch on the Nigeria police, I recommend it to anyone who want an insight on how things work on this side of the world. copy or paste to get the report