The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase, says the Special Police Constabulary needs to either be outright overhauled, disbanded or given a separate uniform different from that of the regular policemen.

According to him, men of the Special Police Constabulary engage in unethical practices, including extorting, and hurting the image of the Nigeria Police Force.

Arase took the position in a statement on Thursday by the PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani.

The statement read: “The commission is already in contact with the Inspector General of Police on the need to overhaul the organisation and operations of the outfit. There have been several reports of unprofessional conduct by officers of the outfit, a quasi-police formation created to assist in community policing.

“Reports of their unprofessional conduct range from highhandedness in dealing with citizens and barefaced extortion on our roads and communities. The commission calls for an entirely different set of uniforms for officers of the outfit that should be easily differentiated from that of the regular police officers.

“This, it noted, will help to track appropriately the conduct of men of the outfit and that of the regular police officers and free the Nigeria Police Force from blame associated with the misconduct of men of the outfit. The commission further calls for the disbandment of the outfit in states where they are not salaried and taken care of.”

The PSC said it was wrong for states to set up security outfits and not fund them.

“The commission has observed that these set of men have descended on innocent Nigerians for their daily upkeep through forceful extortion and intimidation.

“The chairman of the commission, Dr Solomon Arase, retired Inspector General of Police, said the commission will work with the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to sanitise the organisation and operations of the outfit. Dr Arase said there is an urgent need to differentiate the special constabulary from regular police officers and clearly define their operations, including uniforms and rules of engagement.”

Morbeta11:


https://punchng.com/constabulary-tarnishing-police-image-needs-separate-uniform-arase/

Morbeta11:


https://punchng.com/constabulary-tarnishing-police-image-needs-separate-uniform-arase/

Morbeta11:


https://punchng.com/constabulary-tarnishing-police-image-needs-separate-uniform-arase/

Chinjo2:
I beg to disagree sir. The special constabulary are only exhibiting what they learnt from members of the Nigeria Police Force.

Secondly, you recruited some misfits and called them special constabulary when we all know that Nigeria is under policed.

Finally, these people were recruited and for months they were not paid salaries so they had to device a means of survival.

Sir, If you must blame the hawk for wikedness, first blame the mother hen for exposing the children to danger.

Pastors, Imams, teachers, journalists to get special consideration

As part of measures to check rising insecurity in the face of insufficient manpower in Nigeria’s police force, the Force has concluded plans to engage thousands of Special Constables to work with conventional policemen in communities.

The men, who will not be armed, are expected to handle charge room and administrative duties, crowd control, accident scene duties, alternative dispute resolution and other less sensitive and less risky functions. They are expected to dress in police uniform but with a different force number to distinguish them from the regular cops.

It was learnt that respectable members of the society like pastors, imams, teachers, lawyers, journalists and responsible youths would be considered for the volunteer job.

The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, confirmed the plan and explained that the candidates for the constabulary would be between the ages of 21-50, and must be physically fit and gainfully employed.

The police say there will be no salary for the special constables that will serve as community police.

Frank Mba, police spokesman, told TheCable that only employed persons would be absorbed into the service.

He added that they would be volunteers who would be given stipends, but not paid salaries.

He said the decision to pay allowances is informed by the fact that the police are trying to build patriotism among Nigerians.

“The special constabulary is a voluntary service. They are not full-time police officers so they cannot be paid salary, but they would be paid allowances. And that’s why for you to join as a special constabulary, you must be somebody that already has a source of livelihood. It is not a full-time job. It is members of the community who volunteer their services to help police their community.”

He said the volunteers will engage in carrying out low-risk duties while conventional police officers can maximise their resources and time for more tedious jobs.

He said volunteers can cut across any profession whether formal or informal.