GOOD REWARD SYSTEM: PANACEA TO POOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

There is no gainsaying the fact that law enforcement officers play a crucial role in every society. Without them society will become unstable and unlivable for humans. They maintain public safety, uphold the law and enforce the law to ensure some sanity in not only how human beings relate with one another but also how they interact with the environment they live. It is however regrettable that despite the crucial role these law enforcers play, their shortcomings are most times emphasised without taking into consideration the underlining factors causing their occasional misdeeds.  

 Be it in the police, civil defence, road safety, Immigration, Customs and even Correctional (i.e. Prison) services, there lies some intervening variables that often work against a law enforcement agent in the discharge of his or her duties. Of course, before assuming duty, a law enforcement agent is mandated to sign an oath of office that he or she will serve with high sense of dedication and resilience within the ambit of the law. But unfortunately, and with passage of time, he or she may be compelled to derail from this oath due to challenges such as lack of promotion, good reward system, poor and irregular payment of salary as well as inadequate retirement benefit. These are samples of myriads of negativities that society, and particularly the government, often fail to reckon with before chastising law enforcement agents whenever they fail to discharge their duties as expected.  

 The life of an officer is not without its challenges: long hours at duty post, insults, stress and exposure to life-threatening dangers are few of the hurdles they face in a bid to carry out their duties. Therefore, if after enduring all these traumas and at the end not being well recognised and rewarded commensurably, many do resort to engaging in various unprofessional acts such as bribery, selling of ammunition, armed robbery and other social vices to make up for what they feel they deserve.   

Though it needs be emphasised that despite poor reward system and other difficulties they face in the discharge of their duties, those challenges should not be an alibi for law enforcers to misuse the power and authority much less resorting to extra-judicial killings or maiming of innocent citizens. It is in the light that it is advisable for a law officer that feels that he or she is not receiving a commensurable reward for his or her effort to quit the job rather than transferring his anger on the public that he or she has sworn to protect.     

In all, it is of utmost importance for government and the society at large to understand the plight and challenges of the law officers and then devise strategies that will help them to maintain a healthy work-life balance if they are to be serving their communities with passion, and dedication. Also, it must be clearly understood that the wellbeing of the law enforcement agents is instrumental to the peace and progress of the society and as such, finding a healthy work-life balance is crucial for them to effectively deliver on their mandate, and also thrive in their profession.

Alamu Aminat Olajumoke,

Department of Mass Communication,

University of Maiduguri