David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka
The Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Echeng Echeng, has called on communities in the state to partner the police in order to defeat insecurity ravaging the state and country.
The CP made the call at a meeting of the Anambra State Police Stakeholders’ Partnership Forum (PSPF) held in Awka, the state capital yesterday.
He called on communities in the state to forge an alliance with the police to establish an environment of trust and mutual respect for the wellbeing of man and the society.
The state police boss said such engagement would amount to the elimination of crime and criminality ravaging the state, the South-east region and the country in general.
According to him, “Police must actively cultivate the trust of the community and refrain from acts that endangers trust as confidence once broken will be difficult to regain.
“Communities too must endeavour not to abuse this trust. When individuals give false information aimed at achieving selfish objectives, it erodes the mutual trust.
“Both sides must understand that they need each other and that a partnership built on mutual respect must be forged in the interest of the community. It is only in an ambience of partnership that problems confronting communities can be holistically addressed and ultimately solved.”
The commissioner said selflessness is when the police watch out for the good of the community and the community reciprocates same, adding that doing otherwise endangers both the police and the community.
“It is not enough for the police to be willing to engage the community it serves. There is need for the community to be interested in partnering the police, and where both parties are disposed to forging a partnership that works, the society is the better for it,” he said.
Echeng commended the PSPF and RULAAC for their roles in forging a partnership that has enthroned access to justice in the state.
Earlier, the Anambra State Coordinator of PSPF, Prince Chris Azor, and the Executive Director Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, commended the Nigerian Police for their doggedness and courage in service especially during the #EndSARS protest.
