Zamfara State to begin recruitment of community police
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle has directed the State’s Advisory Committee on Community Policing to commence screening and recruitment of citizens to serve as constabulary in the state.
The governor gave the instruction while inaugurating the state advisory committee on Wednesday. The Governor noted that Community Policing was a strategy of Policing that placed emphasis on building relationships and working closely with members of the communities to bridge communication between community and security agents. He said the goals were to build ties, relationships with the community through interactions with local agencies and members of the police, creating partnerships and strategies for reducing crime and disorder.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Muhammad Adamu, who was represented by Assistant Inspector General in charge of Sokoto Zone 10 (AIG), directed all commissioners of Police to consult with the Governors of their respective states with a view to inaugurating the state Community policing Advisory Committee. Adamu stated that the Police Act and Regulations CAP P19 have outlined the establishment of community policing through appointment of special constabulary known as special constables.
He noted that the law was extensively outlined from section 49 to 52 of the police Act and of particular attention to section 50 (2&3) which conferred on the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria power to fix on the recommendation of police council the maximum number of persons at anytime that can be appointed as special constables.
Mustapha also said that section 50 (4) assigned the power to the Inspector-General of Police subject to approval of the president to fix maximum number of special constables in various territories and what particular rank to assign them.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inaugural event was held in isolation, and was only attended by the representative of IGP, CP, GOC and Emir of Anka who is the co-chairman of the committee.