Blanket condemnation of the police unfair – ex-CP, PCRC others decry
Stakeholders across various sectors have decried the negative perception of the police calling on members of the public to end the blanket condemnation of the police.
The stakeholders made this call during a Town Hall meeting on police-citizen relationship in Oyo State organized by the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) Jolly Rogers Deck in conjunction with Hudson Deck, held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Leading the call, a retired commissioner of police, David Sasere said while there were bad eggs in the police, he said it was depressing when the entire police force is portrayed as bad.
He noted that the police grappled with poor funding thereby leaving the police neglected, ill-equipped and incapacitated to live up to their roles 100 percent.
He noted that it was one thing for millions of naira to be budgeted for the police, it was another thing for the money to be released to get to every police unit.
Sasere said the members of the public also contribute to the negative perception of the police as they never allow the best brains in their families to join the force.
Noting that the success of the police was dependent on its level of cooperation with the people, Sasere urged members of the public to build good relationship with the police in their domain and make the police truly their friends.
Speaking, Deputy Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Oyo State, Prince S.O Aminu stressed that security was a shared responsibility and needed effective collaboration between the police and other members of the society.
In his own speech, the leader, Jolly Rogers Deck of NAS, Mr Olufemi Adesope decried poor funding of the Nigeria police epitomised by the state of police stations.
He stressed that community policing was crucial and that, in the interest of better policing, the strained relationship between the police and Nigerians must be smoothened.
On his part, Chief Imam, Oluyole Extension, Ibadan, Mudasiru Bada remarked that there was need for government and relevant stakeholders to engender the necessary reforms that will guarantee a more efficient policing of the society.
Giving the opening remarks, the Baale, Oluyole Estate and Environs, Bayonle Ogunyemi stressed that all and sundry had to play their roles towards having a better society.
The event had several representatives of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), police commands, community development associations, among other members of the society present.
