Community Partnership as Panacea for Accountability, Effective Policing

Stakeholders at the recently held Lagos State Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability, SFPA, Quarterly Meeting and Awards Event for Outstanding Police Officers, organised by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, posited that effective community policing and police accountability can only be achieved in Nigeria through a committed and healthy relationship between the Nigerian Police Force and members of the community. Sunday Ehigiator reports

The notion of police accountability is embedded into the entire concept of community policing. Community policing focuses on developing relationships between the Police and community members to collaboratively identify and solve problems.

Community-oriented policing programs rest on the view that the police and citizens should experience more nonthreatening, supportive interactions that should include efforts by police to listen to citizens, take seriously the citizens’ definitions of problems, and solve the problems that have been identified.

It is a well-known fact that the police are more effective when they have the trust and support of the community which they are trying to protect. If community members feel comfortable talking to police without fear of violating their dignity, they are more likely to provide useful information and collaborations in fighting crime.

This has the potential to reduce citizens’ fear and suspicion of the police and improve citizens’ evaluations of the police.

Accountability

In less than two weeks between July 29 and August 8, 2022, no less than three police officers have gone through Police Orderly Room Trials and were dismissed on accounts of their involvement in various acts of misconduct.

The prompt and decisive disciplinary actions taken against these officers on the directives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, is an indication of an increased determination by the IGP to combat impunity for corrupt practices and unprofessional conduct in the NPF.

While this is commendable as a first step in the right direction, there have been varied opinions regarding the appropriateness of these measures, with others suggesting less severe measures such as demotion, suspension, fines, downward review of salary, or jail term.

Even though these suggested measures could also effectively serve as deterrence to others alike, it must be stated that police abuse breeds negative public perception and resentment and destroys public trust.

The #EndSARS protests are a good example of the consequence of a lack of public trust in the police, occasioned by years of police impunity, and seemingly lack of appropriate punishment meted out on erring officers.

Punishment is very important for deterrence. Therefore, the IGP’s renewed commitment to addressing impunity in the police is a welcome development. These steps are necessary to improve the image of the police, build cordial police public relations and restore public trust and partnership.

Accountability is essential for legitimacy. Community policing or democratic policing cannot thrive without accountability.

Upholding Police accountability can therefore be useful in building police-community relationships and trust, assisting with community integration, facilitating criminal and intelligence elicitation and distribution, identifying and isolating bad actors and ultimately helping achieve effective service delivery for the police.

RULAAC’s Position 

In his opening remarks, RULAAC’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma said it is necessary for the police leadership at all levels to send out a loud and clear message to personnel that it will no longer condone or tolerate corruption, abuse of police powers, and law enforcement methods that do not invite public support.

He said while RULAAC welcomes disciplinary measures against erring officers, it was also important to address the root causes of police misconduct, especially by the junior ranks.

According to him, there is a preponderance of opinion that some of the bad behaviours by junior officers are carried out at the instigation and/or orders of some of their superiors or supervisors.

“When they get caught, their complicit superiors abandon them to their fate or are unable to protect them from repercussions, and they become scapegoats while their superiors go scot-free.

“Many believe that this is why those mainly affected are the junior ranks. This is probably why Amnesty International, in one of its reports said corruption at the top makes change difficult at the lowest levels.”

He said accountability was not solely punitive, but also includes building the integrity of systems and processes.

“One thing we see is that there’s a human resource management gap in the NPF. The quality of welfare and training given to the police personnel has a significant impact on their operational efficiency and behavioural integrity.”

He, therefore, urged the Inspector General of Police to create a structure that not only punishes erring junior ranking officers but also senior officers indicted in the offence.

Police-community Partnership

Giving his keynote address on ‘Police Community Partnership; Panacea for Effective Police Performance’, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Alabi, admonished Nigerians not to only see the police as friends but as family and cooperate with them in policing society.

He said the IG has initiated a policy of reward and punishment in the force which has drastically dealt with unethical behaviours within the police system.

“Reward for outstanding performance of police officers, and punishment for those found wanting or found engaging in unethical behaviours. This is one of the things that is sanitising the Nigerian Police Force today in the country.”

He said there is a need for the police to constantly engage members of the community, and imbibe intellectual acts of community policing.

“You will agree with me that community engagement builds deeper, stronger and lasting relationships between the police organisation, public organisation, and members of the community.

“It fosters a kind of collaboration and synergy in a way which makes policing easier for us because we rely on information and intelligence to do our work, and we can’t gather information without the support of members of the community. Hence, there is a need for police partnerships with members of the community for proper and effective policing.”

The CP also equally noted that crime prevention cannot be holistic without input from members of the community. 

“There is no way you can prevent crime without working in synergy with members of the community, as critical stakeholders. Constant community engagement is creating more productive and cooperative relationships between the police and the community.

“To enhance this relationship, there must be constant consultation in terms of meetings, and that is why in Lagos here, I instructed all my Area Commanders and DPOs that once a fortnight,  there must be critical stakeholders meeting their various areas of responsibilities.”

Human Rights Position

Speaking on behalf of the National Human Rights Commission, Nneka Anigbo noted that records have shown that Police Community engagement in Lagos State presents one of the most effective ways of reducing crimes and enhancing respect for human rights.

“Police Accountability Forum has strived over the years to ensure that we interface with the Police in addressing some critical issues which often arise in the course of our daily lives.

“Police Accountability’s Forum’s platform presents a channel through which real-life impacting complaints are addressed and resolved, ideas are shared and feedback are obtained amongst the Police and relevant stakeholders On Crime, civil rights and other related issues.

“We’ve often called on the police to intervene in some difficult cases and extraordinary periods of emergency, and these complaints are promptly treated. On the other hand, we’ve had to sometimes give the Police useful information and explanations from civil society’s perspective which has also helped to alter how the police would have otherwise reacted. All of these have profoundly and positively affected the relationship between the Police and civil society.”

She, therefore, called for more support from the Lagos State Police Command.

Awards and Recognition

The high point of the August event was the presentation of awards to four outstanding police officers who have distinguished themselves at various times in the course of rendering their services to Nigerians.

They include ACP Taiwo Kasumu, for Upholding Professional Policing Standards and Outstanding Performance, as DPO Igando Division, Lagos State Police Command between July 2018 and December 2020.

Former O/C, X-Squad, CSP Abubakar Aliyu, for effective community engagement and upholding police accountability as O/C, X-Squad in Lagos State Police Command, between June 2018 and July 2021.

DPO Anthony Division, CSP Patricia Amadin, for effective community engagement, courageous and exceptional performance, as DPO Anthony Division, Lagos State Police Command and former DCO Eruwa Police Station, Oyo State Police Command, ASP Adeyemo Ogunyemi, for exhibiting uncommon professionalism and restraint in the face of a provocative attack while on duty between January 2020 and August 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown enforcement. 

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There is no way you can prevent crime without working in synergy with members of the community, as critical stakeholders. Constant community engagement is creating more productive and cooperative relationships between the police and the community