Ejiné:

All you do is shoot down suggestions without providing any contributions of logical or intellectual significance.
What a waste.

If I were to provide you a suggestion on this forum, what will you do with it? What impact will it have on the current state of your existence or that of your whole ilk??

You are probably best continuing your usual roll in the mud with others of your kind on here, rather than pretending anything remotely intelligent posted on this forum will empower you, or impact you in anyway. Like the many millions who continue to help hold Nigeria hostage, you are probably nowhere near that at all.

Its horrifying to imagine a state police in the hands of a Zamfara governor or Borno governor. Even in the hands of a Tinubu led Lagos state government.

Kobojunkie:

If I were to provide you a suggestion on this forum, what will you do with it? What impact will it have on the current state of your existence or that of your whole ilk??

You are probably best continuing your rumbles with others of your kind here, rather than pretending anything remotely intelligent posted on this forum will empower you, or impact you in anyway. Like the many millions who continue to help hold Nigeria hostage, you are probably nowhere near that at all.

You see those areas I highlighted? "Probably, probably, probably, probably, probably, probably".
Allow me to let you into a little secret, asshead - Speculative jabs affect no-one, so if you were trying to present a smart comeback, I'm afraid you're going to have to do better next time.

But that's even another story.

Like I said in my earlier post, you're a total waste of space and a sorry excuse for a poster. Or are you not aware you haven't suggested any smarter alternative to the opinions you've been trying to shoot down?
That, my friend, does not signify intelligence in any way.

But I'll just leave it at that for now.

If you'd like to know more, try responding to this post again with a foolish reply.

Again . . .

Kobojunkie:

If I were to provide you a suggestion on this forum, what will you do with it? What impact will it have on the current state of your existence or that of your whole ilk??

You are probably best continuing your usual roll in the mud with others of your kind on here, rather than pretending anything remotely intelligent posted on this forum will empower you, or impact you in anyway. Like the many millions who continue to help hold Nigeria hostage, you are probably nowhere near that at all.

Since only beings lower on the totem pole than monkeys, would CONCLUDE on the lives of persons they have never met, I CAN ONLY SPECULATE. . . hence the use of the word "Probably" over and over there.

I know it is foreign to you, but concluding that you have someone 100% figured out( even when you have never met them or had a conversation with them outside of an OPINION forum) is moronic.

State and local government police, like private telecommunications companies and private electricity companies, is inevitable.

Some people fear misuse of state police in much the same way people were afraid of private telecoms and electricity companies in the 1980s. In the 1980s it was said that private telecoms and electricity companies would be a security risk. They would betray the country if there's a war. Operators would exploit the masses, etc. However, we've discovered that what's required to keep these companies in check is the right regulatory framework (Communications/electricity laws, NCC, The National Assembly, consumer parliament, etc). This is also true with local and state police. All that's required are the right laws (particularly constitutional provisions) and oversight by the National Assembly, the media and the people.

Note: State and local government police would not be free to do whatever they want. Of course there would be limits on what they can do, what kind of arms they can bear, etc.

naptu2: State and local government police, like private telecommunications companies and private electricity companies, is inevitable.

Some people fear misuse of state police in much the same way people were afraid of private telecoms and electricity companies in the 1980s. In the 1980s it was said that private telecoms and electricity companies would be a security risk. They would betray the country if there's a war. Operators would exploit the masses, etc. However, we've discovered that what's required to keep these companies in check is the right regulatory framework (Communications/electricity laws, NCC, The National Assembly, consumer parliament, etc). This is also true with local and state police. All that's required are the right laws (particularly constitutional provisions) and oversight by the National Assembly, the media and the people.

You are comparing two entirely different fears here.

There is legitimate reason, given what has transpired in the country since the 80's and the current political clime in the country(I am certain we are all aware of this) . . . This call for caution is founded on years of evidence that there is serious levels of decay but at the local, state and also federal levels, and to hand more power to either one, at this time, may not be in the best interest of the average Nigeria. I mean the evidence is every you look that pushing for state police, in Nigeria's current situation is NOT A GOOD IDEA. There is evidence everywhere to support the likelihood that this may move things even further towards decay, if introduced at this time, or at least in the next 3 years.

(Smh. Argument with no substance. There is evidence, there is evidence, without citing the evidence).

It is because of this inevitability that we currently have state police (note: policemen do not necessarily have to be armed. We currently have unarmed state police).

. . . . .

naptu2: (Smh. Argument with no substance. There is evidence, there is evidence, without citing the evidence).

It is because of this inevitability that we currently have state police (note: policemen do not necessarily have to be armed. We currently have unarmed state police).

Arrgh!! I see . . . pele oo . . . if you do not know what is bring referred, then there is no point to this. I don't have the patience to rehash the story of Nigeria or the police forces and their dealings in the past 30 years. Good day!

Kobojunkie: Again . . .
Since only lower beings than monkeys would CONCLUDE on the lives of persons they have never met, I CAN ONLY SPECULATE. . . hence the use of the word Probably over and over there.

I know it is foreign to you, but assuming you have someone 100% figured out even when you have never met them or had a conversation with them outside of an OPINION forum, is moronic.

Look at this ranting schizophrenic buffoon. With this stupiid reply, my comment still stands: you're a waste of space, an empty-headed noisemaker, and pitiful hag.
Why are you trying to deviate from the topic? I say, PROVIDE A SMARTER ALTERNATIVE TO THE TOPIC, OR SHUT THE FUCCKKK UP - simple and short. Easy to comprehend, unless of course you're as dull as I've always suspected you to be.

I've seen your antics on the boards to know you're irredeemably stupiid. Thread after thread, all you do is jump in and mouth off unintelligible garbage in order to sound intelligent, but you never provide any alternatives.
But when it gets down to business, you chicken off like a clueless coward. The Nairaland debate was enough to really reveal you for the hot-air-blowing numbskull you really are. When it got down to actually selling the Buhari you were making all the noise for, you CHICKENED out like a lost coward! Common debate o!

so, please, don't come here with your played-out condescending antics, thinking you're proving anything to anybody or yourself.

You either read the thread silently, give a better alternative, or SHUT THE FUCCKKK UP!
But don't come here shooting down intelligent contributions when you have absolutely nothing to offer.

Waste of space.

State and local police, like everything else, has its negatives and positives. Our goal at the moment should be to seek ways to minimise the negatives and maximise the positives.

(Smh: wondering why she's responding to me, when I've told her I'm not interested in her never ending, looping arguments).

Progress involves seeking ways to minimise the negatives and maximise the positives.

The NCC, headed by Ernest Ndukwe, created the consumer parliament to ensure that consumers have a voice and can complain against service providers. It forced service providers to make refunds to consumers when quality of service declined, etc. These measures took care of the fears of the 1980s.

Similarly, provisions could be made in the laws setting up state police to ensure that current concerns are addressed. For example, a commission could be set up which would monitor and review the activities of state and local council police forces.

Advantages of State and Local Government Police.

1) Community police.

2) Quicker response to the needs of the police force.

3) Competition between police forces for the tag of best police force.

4) Ecology (the police will better react to the specific needs of the community, which might be different from the needs of other communities).


Disadvantages:

1) Misuse by politicians.

2) Lack of cooperation between different police forces.


I believe we should examine ways of maximising the advantages and minimising the disadvantages.

Ejiné:

All you do is shoot down suggestions without providing any contributions of logical or intellectual significance.
What a waste.

My brother, especially pertaining to political issues, offering solutions is indeed far more important above everything else. Certainly, posters will disagree here always but we must all remember that no one , for a Politics discussion forum, is more valuable than the critic who proffers solutions and no one is more tedious and a greater nuisance than the critic who is only happy to highlight problems while never offering solutions.

Gbawe:

My brother, especially pertaining to political issues, offering solutions is indeed far more important above everything else. Certainly, posters will disagree here always but we must all remember that no one , for a Politics discussion forum, is more valuable than the critic who proffers solutions and no one is more tedious and a greater nuisance than the critic who is only happy to highlight problems while never offering solutions.

Spot on!

naptu2: Advantages of State and Local Government Police.

1) Community police.

2) Quicker response to the needs of the police force.

3) Competition between police forces for the tag of best police force.

4) Ecology (the police will better react to the specific needs of the community, which might be different from the needs of other communities).


Disadvantages:

1) Misuse by politicians.

2) Lack of cooperation between different police forces.


I believe we should examine ways of maximising the advantages and minimising the disadvantages.

This is how to discuss issues impacting on critical areas. We examine the pros and cons. I personally believe man must always evolve due to the notion that what is an effective solution today will simply become inadequate tomorrow because of changing challenges.

Of course the concerns of those against State policing is pertinent but we should be careful to address genuine points raised rather than pander to arguments predicated on the inability of many to welcome/embrace change. I personally don't see how Politicians, business folks and the general wealthy elite , even as they form a small proportion of the population, don't already use the NPF partisanly anyway.

Its a tough call but we are not ready for state police. Nigerians will abuse it seriously

There is legitimate reason, given what has transpired in the country since the 80's and the current political clime in the country(I am certain we are all aware of this) . . . The call for caution is founded on years of evidence that there is serious decay, at the local, state and also federal levels, and handing more power at either levels, at this time, may not be in the best interest of the average Nigeria.
I mean the evidence is every you look that pushing for state police, in Nigeria's current situation is NOT A GOOD IDEA. There is evidence everywhere to support the likelihood that this may move things even further towards decay, if introduced at this time, or at least in the next 3 years.

Fashola wants state police so that he can use it to terrorise and extort money from the poor masses like market women, okada riders, Lekki residents, LASU students and medical doctors while allowing area boys to live like kings on the roads

Even without state police, he has become notorious for drafting mobile police at any slight protest against his govt's policies, even to the extent of deploying mobile police to eject striking doctors from the Lagos State hospitals.

It is capital 'NO' to stste police. Nonsense

mikeapollo: Fashola wants state police so that he can use it to terrorise and extort money from the poor masses like market women, okada riders, Lekki residents, LASU students and medical doctors while allowing area boys to live like kings on the roads

Even without state police, he has become notorious for drafting mobile police at any slight protest against his govt's policies, even to the extent of deploying mobile police to eject striking doctors from the Lagos State hospitals.

It is capital 'NO' to stste police. Nonsense

This is not about Fashola. It is about badly required institutional change, in the face of resounding failure, that will survive beyond Fashola and should, given our serious security problems, be birthed sooner rather than later. Everyone is focused on what Governors will do without realising that our NPF is already used partisanly (8 policemen guarding one politician and his family 24/7) while failing woefully at its core brief of fighting everyday crime.

Murders, robberies and everyday crime , that blights the lives of majority of Nigerians, now goes routinely unsolved because the NPF has been bastardized to become a maigaurd-like force not at all even adequate at fighting ordinary crime. Yet we Nigerians forget that very important consideration to be talking about issues from a political perspective alone. When you have a Police force that can no longer fight crime because it has become redundant, then we should look at other solutions proactively.

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/a-call-for-the-decentralisation-of-nigeria-police/

A call for the decentralisation of Nigeria Police
May 14, 2012 by Tayo Ogunbiyi
Nigeria Police Force logo

The debate over the need to decentralise the Nigeria Police Force has been on for a long time. Before now, the most vociferous advocates of what many people have termed state police have been members of the opposition and notable civil society activists. It is, however, interesting to note that increasing agitation for the creation of state police can no longer be viewed as a partisan crusade. Neither can it be said to be the handiwork of mischief-makers or rabble rousers. Today, serving governors and other prominent political leaders, transcending political party line, are in the forefront of a renewed call for state police.

The Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, who is also the Chairman, Nigerian Governors’ Forum, is now a leading apostle of state police. Speaking at a recent forum, Amaechi described state governors as merely glorified “chief security officers” of their respective states. The Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, is one man who will go all the way in support of Amaechi’s position. Of course, Jang should know better as he has had to contend with countless bloody crises that have seriously threatened peace on the Plateau. The picture that Jang had caught, in the midst of the numerous brutal killings that have defiled the serenity of Jos and its environs, is that of a helpless ‘chief security officer’.

Similarly, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has lent his voice to the growing clamour for the establishment of state police. In his opinion, going by the traditions of Nigerians, community policing would be the best way of stamping out criminals and criminality. This, according to him, is because at the community level, all the people know themselves such that they can easily spot a stranger or any suspicious movement and report same to the community head. On his part, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has for long been an unrepentant advocate of state police. His argument is that the centralised policing structure has failed the country and that it is only reasonable that the right thing is done by switching to state police. In his now popular creed, Fashola insists that there would only be one result when one continues to use same method that has resulted to failures over the years.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, is another notable politician in the ruling party that has canvassed for the legislation of state police. While speaking recently at the Sixth Annual Oputa Lecture at the Osgoode Hall Law School, York University in Toronto, Canada, Ekweremadu argued that the prevalent global trend in crime-fighting and the realities of security challenges in Nigeria make the decentralisation of policing pertinent. According to him, aside making it easier for the police to track and burst crimes, it will give the police the advantage of knowing the terrain- geographically, culturally, socially, politically, and even economically.

Undoubtedly, there are several cogent factors in support of the state police option. [size=14pt][b]Aside the well accepted philosophy that policing is essentially a local service, it is important to empahasise that every crime is local in nature. Hence, it is only rational therefore to localise the police force. No matter its form, crime detection needs a local knowledge that state police can better provide.

Equally of note is the fact that police officers who serve in their local communities are stakeholders with vested interests in such places. Considering the reality that they will always be part of their respective communities, even after retirement, it is doubtful if they will perpetrate anti-social activities in their communities. It will be interesting to see how a police officer from Ogoja, for instance, serving in his community can lead a team of police officers that will extort money from his kinsmen as is obtainable now all in the name of policing. In fact, the current practice where officers are sent to areas where they do not have any vested interest, encourages corruption. Indeed, a recent Human Rights Watch survey has revealed that most of the extra-judicial killings that have taken place in the system were perpetrated by officers who were posted outside their states of origin. This is not unexpected as no sane man in uniform will kill his kinsman and expect to remain in such a community thereafter.

Also, knowledge of the local environment is needed for effective policing. It is only logical that to fight crime in the same locality, you need law enforcement personnel familiar with the area. Using police officers from Jalingo, for instance, to burst crime in Onitsha is at best irrational and ineffective. The local criminals with good knowledge of the area will always outwit the ‘foreign’ police officers.

Intelligence gathering is an important and indispensable element in crime fighting that seems to be currently lacking in the system. It is difficult to access high-quality intelligence, unless you know the people very well, and they trust you. The present policing structure in the country certainly negates credible intelligence gathering mechanism. We live in a society where people treat strangers with lots of suspicion. This, no doubt, is quite understandable. It is difficult to trust somebody whose language, culture and tradition you don’t really understand. Is it not going to be a rather Herculean task then for a non-Hausa speaking Yoruba Police Commissioner, who is serving in a place like Adamawa, for instance, to make headway in gathering intelligence relating to Boko Haram’s operational network? The truth is that people will always be afraid of passing information to those they don’t trust, and this is for obvious reasons.[/b][/size]

Perhaps, more importantly, it is noteworthy that a state governor who is the chief security officer of his state has the control of police stationed in the state. The current trend where the Police Commissioner in a state will have to take orders from Abuja concerning security issues in a state, is to say the least, quite laughable. Imagine the many agonies of Governor Jang in the bloody days of rage in his state. Imagine what he, as a true chief security officer of his state, could have done to stem the murderous drift in his state. Poor Jang! What a frustrating experience it must have been for him when he could not even vouch for the loyalty of men who police his state! What manner of arrangement is this that makes a state governor seemingly helpless on security-related matters in his state?

Ironically, almost all the governors in the country are investing heavily in the various police commands in their states. In Lagos State, for example, the government in the last 13 years has invested billions of naira on the state police command as well as other security organs in the state. In fact, the first Security Trust Fund to be established, by any government, in the country was initiated by the Lagos State Government. Similarly, the governments of Akwa Ibom, Rivers, and Ogun states to mention but a few are examples of states that have invested hugely in security.

Now, will it not amount to double standard that a governor bears such a huge responsibility, which in the first place should be that of the Federal Government, only for the system to turn around and deny him unhindered control of the same institution?

It has been argued in some quarters that state police is nothing but a recipe for anarchy. Those who hold this view believe that it could lead to abuse of power and political vendetta by the various state governors. Others are of the opinion that it could lead to political turmoil. The reality, however, is that the present centralised structure has, over the years, been subjected to limitless abuse by the central authority.

[size=14pt]The truth is that Nigeria is too large and complex to be policed centrally. In an ideal federal system, the issue of state police should not be a contentious matter, after all, in the First Republic, there were regional police and local police existing side by side the federal police. If we are really serious about overcoming current security challenges in the polity, the time to embrace state police is now.[/size]

•Ogunbiyi wrote in from the Features Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja via tayoogunbiyi@rocketmail.com

I strongly opposing to the call for state police by senior advocate of nigeria (SAN)Babawere Raji Fashola he never have respect for rule of law by intimidating doctors and civil servants in Lagos. Subject to section 214 of 1999 constitution 2011 amended which stipulated that their will be nigeria police which will known and call Nigeria Police Force their will be no any other police within the country, with the situation in the country now we common men have been intimidating by NPF talkless of establishment of ACN police to intimidating doctors and other civil servant in Lagos state in nutshell I vehemently opposing to the establishing of any police. The major problem facing Nigeria is unemployment and lack of implementation of vocational policy to empower youth God will surely judge our leaders with all their humility clause used to cheat Nigerian

“Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression. There are no ‘Nigerians’ in the same sense as there are ‘English,’ ‘Welsh,’ or ‘French.’ The word ‘Nigerian’ is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria and those who do not.”

[From Path to Nigerian Freedom by Obafemi Awolowo]


Regional/ state police all the way. For instance, the FG can't police a state like Lagos the way it will police Bayelsa or Kano. Each state is different from eachother.

It is clear most of you have no idea as to the kind of Police Structure Fashola is recommending. But don't worry, I'm here to help you out and explain how Policing is done in "TRUE" Federalism.



Law enforcement in the United States

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Officers from US Customs and Border Protection boarding a ship

Law enforcement in the United States is one of three major components of the criminal justice system of the United States, along with courts and corrections. Although there exists an inherent interrelatedness between the different groups that make up the criminal justice system based on their crime deterrence purpose, each component operates independently from one another. However, the judiciary is vested with the power to make legal determinations regarding the conduct of the other two components.

Apart from maintaining order and service functions, the purpose of policing is the investigation of suspected criminal activity and the referral of the results of investigations and of suspected criminals to the courts. Law enforcement, to varying degrees at different levels of government and in different agencies, is [1] also commonly charged with the responsibilities of deterring criminal activity and of preventing the successful commission of crimes in progress; the service and enforcement of warrants, writs and other orders of the courts.

Law enforcement agencies are also involved in providing first response to emergencies and other threats to public safety; the protection of certain public facilities and infrastructure; the maintenance of public order; the protection of public officials; and the operation of some correctional facilities (usually at the local level).
Contents [hide]

1 History
2 Types of police
2.1 Federal
2.2 State
2.3 County
2.3.1 County police
2.3.2 Sheriffs' offices
2.4 Municipal
2.5 Other
3 Police functions
4 Styles of Policing
5 Entry qualifications
6 Salary
7 Police weapons
7.1 Handguns
7.2 Less lethal weapons
7.3 Specialized weapons
7.4 Body armor
8 Police communications
8.1 National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System
9 See also
10 References
11 External links

[edit]History

In 1626, the New York City Sheriff's Office was founded. In 1635, the Town of Boston started its first "Night Watch". The first local modern police department established in the United States was the Boston Police Department in 1838, followed by the New York City Police Department in 1845. Early on, police were not respected by the community, as corruption was rampant. In the late 19th and early 20th century, there were few specialized units in police departments.[2]

The advent of the police car, two-way radio, and telephone in the early 20th century transformed policing into a reactive strategy that focused on responding to calls for service.[2] In the 1920s, led by Berkeley, California police chief, August Vollmer, police began to professionalize, adopt new technologies, and place emphasis on training.[3] With this transformation, police command and control became more centralized.
O.W. Wilson, a student of Vollmer, helped reduce corruption and introduce professionalism in Wichita, Kansas, and later in the Chicago Police Department.[4] Strategies employed by O.W. Wilson included rotating officers from community to community to reduce their vulnerability to corruption, establishing of a non-partisan police board to help govern the police force, a strict merit system for promotions within the department, and an aggressive, recruiting drive with higher police salaries to attract professionally qualified officers.[5] Despite such reforms, police agencies were led by highly autocratic leaders, and there remained a lack of respect between police and minority communities. During the professionalism era of policing, law enforcement agencies concentrated on dealing with felonies and other serious crime.[6]

Following urban unrest in the 1960s, police placed more emphasis on community relations, and enacted reforms such as increased diversity in hiring. The Kansas City Preventive Patrol study in the 1970s found the reactive approach to policing to be ineffective.[7] In the 1990s, many law enforcement agencies began to adopt community policing strategies, and others adopted problem-oriented policing. In the 1990s, CompStat was developed by the New York Police Department as an information-based system for tracking and mapping crime patterns and trends, and holding police accountable for dealing with crime problems. CompStat, and other forms of information-led policing, have since been replicated in police departments across the United States and around the world.

In 1905, the Pennsylvania State Police became the first state police agency established, as recommended by Theodore Roosevelt's Anthracite Strike Commission and Governor Samuel Pennypacker.[8] See also Coal Strike of 1902.
California municipalities were among the first to hire women and minorities as officers. The first female police officer was Alice Stebbins Wells, who was hired by the Los Angeles Police Department in 1910. The LAPD also hired its first two African American police officers, Robert William Stewart and Roy Green, in 1886. The first female deputy sheriff, Margaret Q. Adams, was hired by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 1912.
[edit]Types of police

Policing in the United States is conducted by numerous types of agency at many different levels. Every state has their own nomenclature for agencies, and their powers, responsibilities and funding varies from state to state.

[edit[b]]Federal[/b]

Main article: Federal law enforcement in the United States

Federal police possess full federal authority as given to them under United States Code (U.S.C.). Federal Law Enforcement Officers are authorized to enforce various laws at the federal level.


U.S. Park Police officers standing by during the 2005 Inauguration Day

Both types operate at the highest level and are endowed with police roles, both may maintain a small component of the other (for example, the FBI Police). The agencies have nationwide jurisdiction for enforcement of federal law. All federal agencies are limited by the U.S. Code to investigating only matters that are explicitly within the power of the federal government. However, federal investigative powers have become very broad in practice, especially since the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is responsible for most law enforcement duties at the federal level.[9] It includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and others.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is another branch with numerous federal law enforcement agencies reporting to it. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), United States Secret Service (USSS), United States Coast Guard (USCG), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are some of the agencies that report to DHS.

At a crime or disaster scene affecting large numbers of people, multiple jurisdictions, or broad geographic areas, many police agencies may be involved by mutual aid agreements, for example the United States Federal Protective Service responded to the Hurricane Katrina natural disaster. Command in such situations remains a complex and flexible issue.

The federal government is prohibited from exercising general police powers due to restrictions in the constitution, because the United States is organized as a union of sovereign states, which each retain their police, military and domestic law-making powers. For example, the State's National Guard is the state's military. The constitution gives the federal government the power to deal with foreign affairs and interstate affairs (affairs between the states). For policing, this means that if a non-federal crime is committed in a state and the fugitive does not flee the state, the federal government has no jurisdiction. However, once the fugitive crosses a state line he or she violates the federal law of interstate flight and is subject to federal jurisdiction, at which time federal law enforcement agencies may become involved.

[edit]State

Main article: State police

Most all states operate statewide government agencies that provide law enforcement duties, including investigations and state patrols. They may be called State Police, State Patrol or Highway Patrol, and are normally part of the state Department of Public Safety. In addition, the Attorney General's office of each state has their own state bureaus of investigation. In Texas the Texas Ranger Division fulfill this role though they have their history in the period before Texas became a state.
Various departments of State Governments may have their own enforcement division such as capitol police, Campus Police, State Hospitals, Departments of Correction, Water police, environmental (fish and game/wildlife) Game Wardens or Conservation Officers (who have full police powers and statewide jurisdiction). In Colorado, for instance, the Department of Revenue has its own investigative branch, as do many of the state funded universities.

[edit]County

Also known as parishes and boroughs, county law enforcement is provided by Sheriffs' Departments or Offices and County police.

[edit]County police

Main article: County police

County police tend to exist only in metropolitan counties and have countywide jurisdiction. In some areas, there is a sheriff's department which only handles minor issues such as service of papers such as a constable in other areas, along with security for the local courthouse. In other areas, there are no county police and the local sheriff is the exclusive law enforcement agency and acts as both sheriff and county police, which is much more common than there being a separate county police force. County police tend to fall into three broad categories:

Full-service - provide the full spectrum of police services to the entire county, irrespective of local communities, and may provide contractual security police services to special districts within the county.

Hawaii - Hawaii has only county police, there are no state police.

Limited service - provide services to unincorporated areas of the county (and may provide services to some incorporated areas by contract), and usually provide contractual security police services to special districts within the county.

Restricted service - provide security police to county owned and operated facilities and parks. Some may also perform some road patrol duties on county built and maintained roads, and provide support to municipal police departments in the county. Some northeastern states maintain county detectives in their county attorneys' offices.

[edit]Sheriffs' offices

Main article: Sheriffs in the United States

Full service - The most common type, provide all traditional law-enforcement functions, including countywide patrol and investigations irrespective of municipal boundaries.

Limited service - along with the above, perform some type of traditional law-enforcement function such as investigations and patrol. This may be limited to security police duties on county properties (and others by contract) to the performance of these duties in unincorporated areas of the county, and some incorporated areas by contract.

Restricted service - provide basic court related services such as keeping the county jail, transporting prisoners, providing courthouse security and other duties with regard to service of process and summonses that are issued by county and state courts. The sheriff also often conducts auction sales of real property in foreclosure in many jurisdictions, and is often also empowered to conduct seizures of chattel property to satisfy a judgment. In other jurisdictions, these civil process duties are performed by other officers, such as a marshal or constable.

In Texas the Sheriffs Office is normally the agency responsible for handling mental health calls. If the situation is dangerous a Sheriffs Deputy has the power to take a person to a hospital on a mental health commitment immediately. However, if the situation is not actively dangerous a warrant must be sought. With the rise in mental health units across the state the Texas CIT Association was formed.
[edit]Municipal


A Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor of the New York City Police Department

See Municipal police departments of the United States for a list

Municipal police range from one-officer agencies (sometimes still called the town marshal) to the 40,000 men and women of the New York City Police Department. Most municipal agencies take the form (Municipality Name) Police Department. Many individual cities and towns will have their own police department, with larger communities typically having larger departments with greater budgets, resources, and responsibilities.
Metropolitan departments, such as the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, have jurisdiction covering multiple communities and municipalities, often over a wide area typically coterminous with one or more cities or counties. Metropolitan departments have usually have been formed by a merger between local agencies, typically several local police departments and often the local sheriff's department or office, in efforts to provide greater efficiency by centralizing command and resources and to resolve jurisdictional problems, often in communities experiencing rapid population growth and urban sprawl, or in neighboring communities too small to afford individual police departments. Some county sheriff's departments, such as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, are contracted to provide full police services to local cities within their counties.
[edit]Other

U.S. Territories - Commonwealth of Puerto Rico - Puerto Rico State Police Puerto Rico Police Department
It traces back to 1837, when Spanish governor Francisco Javier de Moreda y Prieto created La Guardia Civil de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Civil Guard) to protect the lives and property of Puerto Ricans who at the time were Spanish subjects, and provide police services to the entire island, even though many municipalities maintain their own police force. The United States invaded and took possession of Puerto Rico in July 1898 as a result of the Spanish American War and has controlled the island as a US territory since then. The Insular Police of Puerto Rico was created on February 21, 1899, under the command of Col. Frank Thacher (US Marine officer during the Spanish American War), with an authorized strength of 313 sworn officers. As of 2009, the PRPD has over 17,292 officers.

See Specialist police departments of the United States for a list

There are other types of specialist police department with varying jurisdictions. Most of these serve special-purpose districts and are Special district police. In some states, they serve as little more than security police, but in states such as California, special district forces are composed of fully sworn peace officers with statewide authority.
These agencies can be transit police, school district police, campus police, airport police, park police or police departments responsible for protecting government property such as the Los Angeles General Services Police. Some agencies, such as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, have multi-state powers. There are also some private (non-governmental) agencies, such as the Co-op City Department of Public Safety.
[edit]Police functions



A Florida Highway Patrol state trooper at the scene of a motor vehicle accident


FBI Evidence Response Team

Textbooks and scholars have identified three primary police agency functions. The following is cited from The American System of Criminal Justice, by George F. Cole and Christopher E. Smith, 2004, 10th edition, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning:

Order maintenance. This is the broad mandate to keep the peace or otherwise prevent behaviors which might disturb others. This can deal with things ranging from a barking dog to a fist-fight. By way of description, Cole and Smith note that police are usually called-on to "handle" these situations with discretion, rather than deal with them as strict violations of law, though of course their authority to deal with these situations are based in violations of law.

Law enforcement. Those powers are typically used only in cases where the law has been violated and a suspect must be identified and apprehended. Most obvious instances include robbery, murder, or burglary. This is the popular notion of the main police function, but the frequency of such activity is dependent on geography and season.

Service. Services may include rendering first aid, providing tourist information, guiding the disoriented, or acting as educators (on topics such as preventing drug use). Cole and Smith cited one study which showed 80% of all calls for police assistance did not involve crimes, but this may not be the case in all parts of the country. Because police agencies are traditionally available year-round, 24 hours a day, citizens call upon police departments not only in times of trouble, but also when just inconvenienced. As a result, police services may include roadside auto assistance, providing referrals to other agencies, finding lost pets or property, or checking locks on vacationers' homes.

[edit]Styles of Policing


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Given the broad mandates of police work, and yet having limited resources, police administrators must develop policies to prioritize and focus their activities. Some of the more controversial policies restrict, or even forbid, high-speed vehicular pursuits.
Three styles of policing develop from a jurisdiction’s socioeconomic characteristics, government organization, and choice of police administrators. According to a study by James Q. Wilson (”Varieties of Police Behavior”, 1968, 1978, Harvard University Press), there were three distinct types of policing developed in his study of eight communities. Each style emphasized different police functions, and were linked to specific characteristics of the community the department served. (Wilson’s field of study was in the United States, and it is not clear if similar studies have been done for other countries with different governmental organization and laws.)

Watchman. Emphasizes maintaining order, usually found in communities with a declining industrial base, and a blue-collar, mixed ethnic/racial population. This form of policing is implicitly less pro-active than other styles, and certain offenses may be “overlooked” on a variety of social, legal, and cultural grounds, as long as the public order is maintained. Smith and Cole comment the broad discretion exercised in this style of policing can result in charges of discrimination, when it appears police treatment of different groups results in the perception that some groups get better treatment than others;

Legalistic. Emphasizes law enforcement and professionalism. This is usually found in reform-minded cities, with mixed socioeconomic composition. Officers are expected to generate a large number of arrests and citations, and act as if there were a single community standard for conduct, rather than different standards for different groups. However, the fact that certain groups are more likely to have law enforcement contact means this strict enforcement of laws may seem overly harsh on certain groups;
Service. Emphasizes the service functions of police work, usually found in suburban, middle-class communities where residents demand individual treatment. Police in homogeneous communities can view their work as protecting their citizens against “outsiders”, with frequent but often-informal interventions against community members. The uniform make-up of the community means crimes are usually more obvious, and therefore less frequent, leaving police free to deal with service functions, and traffic control.

Wilson’s study applies to police behavior for the entire department, over time. At any given time, police officers may be acting in a watchman, service, or legalistic function by nature of what they’re doing at the time, or temperament, or mood. Individual officers may also be inclined to one style or another, regardless of supervisor or citizen demands.

[b][edit]Entry qualifications

Nearly all U.S. states and the federal government have by law adopted minimum-standard standardized training requirements for all officers with powers of arrest within the state. Many standards apply to in-service training as well as entry-level training, particularly in the use of firearms, with periodic re-certification required. These standards often comply with standards promoted by the US Department of Justice. These standards typically require a thorough background check that potential police recruits:

Be a United States citizen (waived in certain agencies if the applicant is a lawful resident).

Must have a high school diploma or a G.E.D. and if necessary a college degree or served in the United States military without a dishonorable discharge;

Be in good physical and psychological condition;

Maintain a clean criminal record without either serious or repeated misdemeanor or any felony convictions;

Must have a valid driver's license with a clean driving record and that is not currently or has a history of being suspended or revoked;

Be of high moral character;

Not have a history of prior narcotic or repeated marijuana use or alcoholism;

Not have a history of ethical, professional, prior employment, motor vehicle, or financial improprieties;

Not have a history of domestic violence or mental illness;

Not to pose a safety and security risk;

Be legally eligible to own and carry a firearm.

Repeated interviews, written tests, medical examinations, physical fitness tests, comprehensive background investigations, fingerprinting, drug testing, a police oral board interview, a polygraph examination and consultation with a psychologist are common
practices used to review the suitability of candidates. Recruiting in most departments is competitive, with more suitable and desirable candidates accepted over lesser ones, and failure to meet some minimum standards disqualifying a candidate entirely.
[/b]

Police oral boards are the most subjective part of the process and often disqualifies the biggest portion of qualified candidates[10] .Departments maintain records of past applicants under review, and refer to them in the case of either reapplication or requests from other agencies.

Despite these safeguards, some departments have at times relaxed hiring and staffing policies, sometimes in violation of the law, most often in the cases of local departments and federally funded drug task forces facing staffing shortages, attrition, and needs to quickly fill positions. This has included at times the fielding (and sometimes the arming) of uncertified officers (who may be working temporarily in what is supposed to be a provisional limited-duty status prior to certification) and the hiring of itinerant "gypsy cops", who may have histories of poor performance or misconduct in other departments. Several serious cases of police misconduct such as the Chicago Police Department's torture of felony suspects between 1972-1991 by and under Jon Burge, LAPD's 1991 beating of Rodney King and late-1990s LAPD Rampart Scandal, the NYPD's 1970s fatal shootings of Clifford Glover (1973) and Randolph Evans (1976), the 1980s chokeholds, shootings and stun gun tortures of Mark Davidson (106th Precinct), Michael Stewart, Eleanor Bumpers and Edmund Perry, the 1990s torture of Abner Louima and shooting of Amadou Diallo, the 2000s shootings and record-publicizing of Patrick Dorismond, and Sean Bell, Philadelphia Police Department's torture of suspects in the 1970s to improve then-mayor Frank Rizzo's reputation and Torrington, Connecticut's Tracey Thurman incident all raised questions surrounding the screening of potential recruits.
[edit]Salary

Salary varies widely for police officers, with most being among the top third of wage-earners, age 25 or older, nationwide.[11] In May 2008, the overall median was $51,410. The median salary for those at the federal level was $46,620, compared to $57,270 for those at the state level and $51,020 for those employed by local law enforcement agencies. The top 10% earned more than $79,680 and bottom 10% less than $30,070.[12]
Rank Minimum Salary Maximum Salary
Police Chief $90,570 $113,930
Deputy Chief $74,834 $96,209
Police Captain $72,761 $91,178
Police Lieutenant $65,688 $79,268
Police Sergeant $58,739 $70,349
Police Corporal $49,421 $61,173
Reserve Officer $0.00 $0.00
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor, 2010[12]
[edit]Police weapons

[edit]Handguns
Police in the United States usually carry a handgun on duty. Many are required to be armed on-duty and often required to have a concealable off-duty handgun. Among the most common sidearms are models produced by Glock, Smith & Wesson, SIG Sauer,Beretta, and Heckler & Koch, usually in 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 SIG (US Secret Service & other Federal Law Enforcement agencies) or .45 ACP. Until the late 1980's and early 1990s, most US police officers carried revolvers, typically in .38 Special or .357 Magnum calibers, as their primary duty weapons. At the time, Smith & Wesson, Colt, Ruger and some Taurus models were popular with police officers, most popular being the Smith & Wesson or Colt revolvers. Since then, most agencies have switched to semiautomatic pistols. Two key events influencing many US police forces to upgrade their primary duty weapons to weapons with greater stopping power and round capacity were the 1980 Norco shootout and the 1986 FBI Miami shootout.
Some police departments allow qualified officers to carry shotguns and/or semiautomatic rifles in their vehicles for additional firepower, typically to be used if a suspect is involved in an active shooter situation, or a Hostage/barricade incident.

[edit]Less lethal weapons


ASP 21" tactical baton in expandable and collapsed states.

Police also often carry an impact weapon - a baton, also known as a nightstick. The common nightstick and the side handle baton, have been replaced in many locations by expandable batons such as the Monadnock Auto-Lock Expandable Baton or ASP baton. One advantage of the collapsible baton is that the wearer can comfortably sit in a patrol vehicle while still wearing the baton on their duty belt. The side handle night stick usually has to be removed before entering the vehicle. Many departments also use less-lethal weapons like mace, pepper spray, electroshock guns, and beanbag shotgun rounds.

Another less lethal weapon that police officers often carry is an electroshock gun, also known as a Taser. The handheld electroshock weapon was designed to incapacitate a single person from a distance by using electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Someone struck by a Taser experiences stimulation of his or her sensory nerves and motor nerves, resulting in strong involuntary muscle contractions. Tasers do not rely only on pain compliance, except when used in Drive Stun mode, and are thus preferred by some law enforcement over non-Taser stun guns and other electronic control weapons.
[edit]Specialized weapons

Most large police departments have elite SWAT units which are called in to handle situations, such as barricaded suspects, hostage situations and high-risk warrant service, that require greater force, specialized equipment, and special tactics. These units usually have submachine guns, automatic carbines or rifles, semiautomatic combat shotguns, sniper rifles, gas, smoke and flashbang grenades, and other specialized weapons and equipment at their disposal. A few departments have an armored vehicle for especially dangerous work.

[edit]Body armor

Uniformed police officers are often issued body armor, typically in the form of a lightweight Level IIA, II or IIIA vest that can be worn under service shirts. SWAT teams typically wear heavier Level III or IV tactical armored vests, often with steel or ceramic trauma plates, comparable to those worn by US military personnel engaged in ground operations. Officers trained in bomb disposal wear specialized heavy protective armor designed to protect them from the effects of an explosion when working around live ordnance.

[edit]Police communications

Most American police departments are dispatched from a centralized communications center, using VHF, UHF or, more recently, digitally trunked radio transceivers mounted in their vehicles, with individual officers carrying portable handsets or ear-worn headsets for communication when away from their vehicles. American police cars are also increasingly equipped with portable computers linked by radio to a network allowing them access to state department of motor vehicles information, criminal records, and other important information.

Most police communications are now conducted within a regional pool of area 911 operators using 911 and 911 telephone taxation. A large number of police agencies have pooled their 911 tax resources for Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD) to streamline dispatching and reporting.
[edit]National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011)

National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System is a secure information sharing system for state and local law enforcement agencies. It provides electronic messaging to allow information exchange between state, local, and federal agencies and support services to justice-related computer programs. The network is operated by Nlets, a non-profit corporation owned and operated by the states and funded solely by fees for service.
The network operates primarily through a secure private network through which each state has an interface to the network, and all agencies within the state operate through this portal. The federal and international components operate very similarly. Users include all U.S. states and territories, Federal agencies with a justice mission, and certain international agencies. The primary operational site for the network is housed in Arizona, with a secure backup site located in the East Central U.S. for full continuity of operations in less than thirty minutes.

Information exchange is voluntary and includes everything from motor vehicle registrations, driver's data, Interpol warrants, Canadian 'Hot File' records, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) databases, to state criminal history records. Nearly 90 million messages are sent each month.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_the_United_States

God will punish the devil and his agents in term of economic policy USA is not comparable to NIGERIA why comparing US and NIGERIA in term of security system why do you people like to imitate devil system of government ? What if America impose gay or lesbian system of intimacy why not adopting bible or islamic system of government. Fear of God is beinging of wisdow America is the major source of world destruction NIGERIA wake up

bola4dprec: God will punish the devil and his agents in term of economic policy USA is not comparable to NIGERIA why comparing US and NIGERIA in term of security system why do you people like to imitate devil system of government ? What if America impose gay or lesbian system of intimacy why not adopting bible or islamic system of government. Fear of God is beinging of wisdow America is the major source of world destruction NIGERIA wake up

kingoflag: It is clear most of you have no idea as to the kind of Police Structure Fashola is recommending. But don't worry, I'm here to help you out and explain how Policing is done in "TRUE" Federalism.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_the_United_States

I think you are mistaking the fears of the people with a lack of understanding of the benefits that may come with instituting a State police system.

I live in America and I can tell you wonderful stories of the State police system(I have never had a bad experience with them, and I take advantage of my tax dollars to the fullest). Given all this, I still would not recommend a state police system in Nigeria at this time.

Nigeria is most definitely not America and is nowhere near where America was when it's state police system was instituted, even with the controversy that surrounded that is considered. The problem with the current force is that the police men are not disciplined, well-trained and well-managed. Many of these men have no respect for citizens, and no respect for human lives. Many of them are corrupt, and this is To date, these obvious issue has yet to be addressed. Policies are there for this to take place but nothing is being done to ensure they are implemented.

Now to the problem in Government. 98% of our Governors do not understand the concept of democracy. I mean many of them preach that they do but when push comes to shove, they rather impose their will on the people. There are numerous stories of these governors using their "thugs" to bully the people. I don't think it makes any sense to, at this time, give these governors more legal power to further bully the people. No, I say it is better to wait till when the people have more control over their government and their lives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_police_(United_States)

It is a good time to talk and develop a framework for State Police and keep whatever agreements exist as a future implementation. It is ill-advised to implement State Police considering the current national political landscape. A premature implementation will end up with certain legacy problems and when ultimately an ideal political condition does arrive its suffered inefficiencies will be too difficult to reverse.

Kobojunkie:

I think you are mistaking the fears of the people, with a lack of understanding of the benefits that may come with instituting a State police system.

I live in America and I can tell you wonderful stories of the State police system(I have never had a bad experience with them, and I take advantage of my tax dollars to the fullest). Given all this, I still would not recommend a state police system in Nigeria at this time.

Nigeria is most definitely not America and is nowhere near where America was when it's state police system was instituted, even with the controversy that surrounded that is considered. The problem with the current force is that the police men are not disciplined, well-trained and well-managed. Many of these men have no respect for citizens, and no respect for human lives. Many of them are corrupt, and this is To date, these obvious issue has yet to be addressed. Policies are there for this to take place but nothing is being done to ensure they are implemented.

Now to the problem in Government. 98% of our Governors do not understand the concept of democracy. I mean many of them preach that they do but when push comes to shove, they rather impose their will on the people. There are numerous stories of these governors using their "thugs" to bully the people. I don't think it makes any sense to, at this time, give these governors more legal power to further bully the people. No, I say it is better to wait till when the people have more control over their government and their lives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_police_(United_States)

Hmmmn. . . . .

Negro_Ntns: It is a good time to talk and develop a framework for State Police and keep whatever agreements exist as a future implementation. It is ill-advised to implement State Police considering the current national political landscape. A premature implementation will end up with certain legacy problems and when ultimately an ideal political condition does arrive its suffered inefficiencies will be too difficult to reverse.

Thank you!

Sorry for the break in transmission, been busy. I support Gani’s position that if we keep saying we aren’t ready, then we’ll never be ready. I prefer that we examine possible problems and possible solutions to these problems.

Until now, things have been going according to the way I predicted it would when I looked into this between 1998-2002. Necessity forced people to do what is inevitable. Governors Marwa and Tinubu have responded to this need. Necessity has put us on the road to state police.

Inevitability (the road to state police).

1) Local Governments: Since the 1980s, various local governments in Lagos have created uniformed traffic police forces. This was necessitated by the terrible traffic jams in Lagos. However, this often brought censure from the Federal and Lagos State Government, because (a) some of the traffic policemen abused their power and victimised members of the public (b) Some of these traffic police forces were used by the Local Governments to extort money from the public (c) The state and federal governments felt that the local governments were acting ultra-vires the constitution.

2) Colonel Marwa - Operation Sweep: Colonel Mohammed Buba Marwa created the security outfit named “Operation Sweep”, despite opposition from some generals, particularly his arch-enemy General Ishaya Bamaiyi. In the mid 1990s Lagos had been taken over by armed robbers, particularly cross border bandits from Benin, Mali and Togo. The Federal Police, controlled from Abuja, had been unable to contain the onslaught by these bandits because of poor funding, lack of equipment, centralised command structure, corruption, etc. Colonel Marwa realised that he had to create an outfit that he could fund appropriately, that could be more responsive to the specific needs of Lagos, etc. Operation Sweep was equipped with bulletproof vests (which the federal police lacked), vehicles and communication equipment purchased by the Lagos State Government.

However, some generals warned Abacha about the dangers of allowing a state governor control troops and policemen. Operation Sweep could be used as a cover to stage a coup. Colonel Marwa was put under security watch by DMI. At a point, the soldiers attached to operation sweep were withdrawn. However, Colonel Marwa was able to present his case directly to Abacha and the troops were returned back to Operation Sweep. The outfit was successful, although there were accusations that the outfit also killed innocent Nigerians.

3) Governor Tinubu - KAI, LASTMA, Neighbourhood Watch, etc: One of Governor Tinubu’s first actions was to rename “Operation Sweep”. It’s now called “Rapid Response Squad”. The soldiers were withdrawn from the squad. Unfortunately, the soldiers took the bullet-proof vests, vehicles, etc (which had been purchased with Lagos State funds) with them when they returned to the barracks.

Governor Tinubu also established special state police forces. These included the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), which is basically the state traffic police, Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), which is basically the state environment police and the Neighbourhood Watch (Security), Lagos Sheriffs, etc. While LASTMA, KAI and the other agencies have been successful, the Neighbourhood Watch suffered several setbacks following clashes with the federal police, particularly with members of Mopol 2 at Keffi Street, Ikoyi. The Neighbourhood Watch was subsequently scaled back. LASTMA also suffered opposition from federal authorities, particularly during the tenure of Adeseye Ogunlewe (federal minister of works), but it currently enjoys cooperation from the Nigeria Police, FRSC and other federal agencies.

4) Governor Fashola – Security Council, Security Trust Fund, RRS (and Neighbourhood Watch?). Governor Fashola has used the Security Trust Fund to adequately equip the Rapid Response Squad and other security agencies to meet the needs of Lagos. The agencies request for specific training or equipment and then defend their request before the management of the security trust fund. With this method, boats, bullet-proof vests, helicopter, armoured cars, ammunition, etc have been purchased. The forensic lab at Oshodi has also been re-equipped. However, this method suffers from the same problem operation sweep suffered. Men of the police force who have been trained and equipped by the Lagos State Government can easily be transferred out of the state and Lagos would thus lose the expertise that it has paid for.

The Governor has also used the mechanism of the State Security Council to improve relations between the various security agencies (both state and federal) in the state and also improve relations between the government and the security agencies. Members of the State Security Council include, the state governor, representatives of the police (Lagos State Commissioner of Police), Army (Brigade Commander 9th Brigade Ikeja), Navy (Commander NNS Beecroft), Air Force, SSS, etc.

*However, I believe that the governor should properly activate the Neighbourhood Watch and fit them into the role vacated by the Civil Defence. Due to military rule, the Civil Defence has metamorphosed into a parallel police force. That's not its original role. It was meant to serve as a citizen’s emergency response and security outfit. It shouldn’t be a standing force (it had very few full time members and was largely made up of part-time volunteers). One of my guards was a member of the Civil Defence in the 1980s. They had regular jobs during the week and only attended weekend civil defence training. The corps was made up of members of the community including landlords, security guards, elders of the community, etc. They lived in the community and knew the community very well. They could settle disputes, report suspicious activity to their superiors who would inform the government/police. They were also trained in fire-fighting techniques (my favourite part of the training) and first aid. This is because they are first responders who live in the community and can take action before the police, fire service or ambulance arrives. In short, they are involved in community policing.


Solutions

1) I subscribe to the view that says that we should split the posts of Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

The Minister of Justice would be appointed by the President/Governor and would be in charge of administrative matters, drafting laws, etc. He would be the government’s legal adviser.

The attorney general should be appointed by an independent body (National Judicial Council, etc) and should be in charge of prosecutions and the police force. This would ensure that politicians can not interfere in cases of bribery, corruption, murder, electoral fraud, etc.

2) A key problem with the Nigerian Police is that there is no independent agency to police it. While listening to Lagos State Police Command radio between 2001-2003, I realised that superiors accepted whatever their juniors told them without investigating further. No wonder the former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero said he was surprised that Deputy Commissioner of Police, Danjuma Ibrahim killed the Apo 6, because Ibrahim was “one of his best officers”. When a subordinate kills somebody and reports to his superior that he has killed an armed robber, the superior accepts his subordinate’s story without further investigation because they are both members of the same organisation and it is their organisation against the world. Therefore, I propose that a council should be set up to investigate the police and entertain petitions against policemen. This council will have an investigating arm and an adjudicating arm. When I first thought of this in 2001 I imagined that the panel would be composed of people like Ayo Obe, Wole Soyinka, etc. At that time, I also imagined that the head of the investigative/prosecuting arm could be someone like Nuhu Ribadu, a police lawyer who gave an impressive performance at the Human Rights Verification Investigation Panel (A.K.A Oputa Panel), but unfortunately he was a member of the police force. However, what’s important is that the members of both arms of the commission are independent of politicians and the police.

3) Civics: (This section is taken from another article I wrote). We are told that a democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people. This means that the people have to make important decisions about who to elect and what types of policies and laws they want. How will they do this if they are not properly educated and do not have the required knowledge. Most Nigerians do not know how to analyse the budget, yet it is their money that is being spent and the money should be spent for their benefit. Again, most Nigerians are unaware of their rights under the constitution and thus they easily succumb when policemen and politicians trample on their rights.

Again, an individual is expected to be a good citizen, but how will he be a good citizen if he does not know what that involves. I propose that every student in Nigerian schools should study civics from primary 3 to SSS2 at the minimum. This would go a long way in changing Nigerian society and solving some of the societal problems we have in Nigeria. Some of the topics/courses that should be studied are:

Environmental Science: Nigerians need to be taught the impact of their activities on the environment. They need to be taught why a paper bag is better than a polythene bag. Why it is wrong to defecate or throw rubbish into the lagoon/river. Why it is wrong to litter, etc. many people believe that citizens should automatically know that these practices are bad, but it won’t really sink in unless they are taught these things from childhood (socialization).
Sex education: Sex education is critically important in Nigeria at the moment. There is an epidemic of rape, child abuse and sexually transmitted diseases ravaging the country. Students need to be taught the medical, social, economic and spiritual consequences of having sex. They also need to know how to protect themselves.
Health education: Most Nigerians do not know what to do in the event of a health emergency and many lives are lost as a result. A persons life can be saved if appropriate action is taken within a few minutes of the emergency occurring. Students need to know what to do as a first responder in cases of drowning, bleeding, fracture, choking, smoke inhalation, burns, etc. with such knowledge they can save the lives of fellow citizens. A doctor, nurse or red cross official should be on hand to teach the students.
Road safety: students need to be taught road safety, both from the point of view of pedestrians and the point of view of motorists. They should be taught to use the pedestrian bridge, zebra crossing, etc rather than jay walking. They should be taught the traffic signs and symbols, etc. Students who are 17/18 years of age should take driving classes. These measure would go a long way in ensuring safety on our roads.
Government, democracy and human rights: Students should be taught how their government works. They should know the duties of the different arms and levels of government and the duties of citizens. This would ensure that they can hold government accountable and that greedy politicians won’t mislead them. They should be taught about elections and the power of their vote. They should be taught their fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution. This would ensure that they are prepared to defend and enforce such rights. Students should study this http://www.nigeria-law.org/ConstitutionOfTheFederalRepublicOfNigeria.htm and this http://www.lagosstate.gov.ng/LAWS/108.pdf

4) As I said earlier, state police would ensure that there’s competition for the tag of “best police force” and that ideas that would lead to better police practices are thrown up. For example, a policeman whose neighbour (in the barracks) or team member has recently been killed in action should undergo psychological evaluation before he is allowed back on active duty. The same should apply to policemen who have recently killed people.

All the opponents of State Police have to offer is "undemocratic" Governors will use the force to persecute opponents. Are some, with that argument, not displaying a fundamental misunderstanding of the core brief of the Police vis-a-vis their far greater obligation to the majority?

We all forget that everyday crime and insecurity that blights the lives of millions of Nigerians has nothing to do with the political acrimony of a very small percentage of the ruling class !!!!! When armed robbers line up 60 passengers of a luxury bus to rob them and despoil some, what has this got to do with a Governor bullying a few political opponents?

Why would anybody, seeing the big picture, predicate an argument against State Police on the notion that Governors will use it to persecute their relatively small number of opponents while we fail to take into consideration the needs of millions who are being failed by conventional Policing ? All this in a nation where heinous everyday crime and lawlessness is now totally out of hand !!!!!

Should we keep a failed Police Force in place so that Governors cannot "persecute" their few opponents , even as there are 'watchdog' ways to ensure they don't, yet million must keep falling victims to crime, fatally in many cases, due to a Police force now entirely useless at everyday Policing ? Is this not some form of elitism i.e arguing decidely on what is best for Politicians alone while forgetting that everything must be about what is best for the masses and not a small number of privileged individuals?