The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 17, comprising Ondo and Ekiti States, Mr Ajani Omolabi, says the police are now civil in their relationship with people to ensure proficiency in modern policing.
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Omolabi, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Akure, said the policy had endeared people to the police, which was useful in getting information to fight crime in the zone.
“The police have become civil rather than being bossy. We are now civil to the people we are working with. We come to their level, engage them, and we understand one another.
“It also helps us to get information easily from them. And also, the robust way of bringing ourselves to the community level, the open-door policy, has helped us,” he said.
The AIG said there had been a series of seminars and lectures with police officers and men in the two commands on the need to operate with a policy of openness, transparency, and professionalism.
“I have held seminars and lectures with them. And this is always what I advocate, that we should be closer to the community in our workplace and on the issue of giving information to the police.
“I have also had meetings with many communities, telling them that they should go directly to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) or even come to the Commissioner of Police or AIG, go and give your information.
“We are not far away from the people we are working with and whoever is giving us information, we make sure we protect such person,” he said.
Omolabi reiterated the need for the public to accept police as their friend and partners in fighting crimes, adding that police were servants to the people.
The AIG said his office was accessible to members of the public for any complaint or grievance.
“I operate an open-door policy. Since I came, the civilians have had access to me. My number has been circulated and we work on information, complaints and their grievances,” he said.
Omolabi also said the police encouraged their personnel to acquire knowledge that would make policing and prosecution of suspects more efficient and proficient.
“Police are very proactive now.
“We also want to appreciate the effort of our institution of police, especially creating opportunities for the personnel of Nigeria Police by encouraging them to go to school, especially to go and read law.
“What we are practicing now is professionalism. So when we are talking of prosecution, we have experts who know the law. Those are the people who are helping us, so we are not losing cases because we know that evidence is crucial in prosecution.
“So those people who understand what evidence is, what facts to be obtained, in the course of investigation, they are now available in Nigerian police,” he said.
The AIG noted that the police had zero tolerance for indiscipline and misconduct among its personnel.
“We don’t spare our men. We have a lot of them that have been disciplined. You know, to discipline a police officer, that of a senior officer is different from that of a junior officer.
“Police are the only organisation, as far as civil service is concerned, that don’t hide anyone among them. When you mistakenly do anything and it’s costly, we ensure we apply the rules and regulations that guide our job.
“We also reward those who perform their duty without being fearful. Some are promoted, some are given cash rewards, just to encourage others and all of us to ensure that we do what we’re supposed to do,” he said.
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