Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PSPF) has honoured former Commissioner of Police in the State and current Assistant Inspector General, AIG John Abang, for his outstanding performance in the state.
Other awardees at the event were CSP Haruna Abubakar, former Police Public Relations Officer in the state, and DPO of Fegge, Onitsha Police station, CSP Rabiu Garuba, for effective community engagement, courage and professional service in the state.
The awards were conferred on the officers, at a meeting of the Anambra State Police Stakeholders Partnership Forum (PSPF) in Awka, Anambra State capital on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, the state Coordinator of PSPF, Prince Chris Azor, said the award was in recognition of rare acts of community engagement and in appreciation for the gallantry service of the officers to the state.
He also commended the professionalism and citizen-friendly policing demonstrated by the State Command under the then CP John Abang, noting that he established a connection with the people of different communities in the state.
In a keynote, the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, CP Echeng Ecbeng, called on communities in the state to forge an alliance with the police to establish an environment of trust and mutual respect for the well-being of man and the society.
He said such engagement would amount to the elimination of crime and criminality that had ravage the state, the South-East and the country at large.
The CP who gave a keynote address on the theme: “Community Engagement a Key to Effective Police Performance,” said “Police must actively cultivate the trust of the community and refrain from acts that endanger trust as confidence once broken will be difficult to regain.”
He also said “communities too must endeavour not to abuse this trust. When individuals give false information aimed at achieving selfish objectives, it erodes the mutual trust.”
The CP who said partnership is another relevant tool of tackling insecurity, noted that “both sides must understand that they need each other and that a partnership built on mutual respect must be forged in the interest of the community.”
He maintained that it is only in an ambience of partnership that problems confronting communities can be holistically addressed and ultimately solved.
“Selflessness is when Police watch out for the good of the community and the community reciprocate same. Doing otherwise endangers both the Police and the Community.
“It is not enough for the Police to be willing to engage the Community it serves. There is need for the community to be interested in partnering with the Police and where both parties are disposed to forging a partnership that works, the society is the better for it.”
The CP assured that the Police will continue to make itself accountable in the administration of Criminal Justice in the state and commended the PSPF and RULAAC for their roles in to forging a partnership that enthroned access to justice in the state.
Earlier, the Executive Director Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, commended the Nigeria Police for for their doggedness and courage in service especially during the period of #EndSARS protest.
He called on the Federal Government to increase its support to the police to enable them be more effective in the discharge of their constitutional mandates of protecting the citizens.
