Without going into the history and evolution of the Nigeria Police Force, there is a need to examine its declining status in the past 50 years. There was a time when state security service, regardless of such nominators as NSO, DSS, etc, was a part of the Police, known as E department or special branch. Current Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had its personnel drawn from experienced operators of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), especially those with university degrees in law, economics, banking and finance, etc.
The police traffic unit was quite a smart and agile unit whose functions were taken over by federal road safety agency. Similarly the mobile police currently operate as a para-military force whose personnel rarely see themselves as belonging to the conventional police. The international police section is more of a diplomatic outfit, aligned to EFCC, DSS and the Central Criminal Registry. Perhaps, the police band still remains involved in music and ceremonial occasions.
There has been a systematic dilution of the status of the old Nigeria Police Force, to such an extent that some police men and women put on their uniforms only when they get to their stations for duty. The current engagement of the military in internal security operations with Crocodile Smile, Pythons Dance and Atilogy Dance seems to suggest that the Police need more friends and support. Many Nigerians are skeptical about such intrusion into civil security.
A recent controversy with regards to recruitment exercise into the police is an issue which sends a signal of possible conflict of interests somewhere. While the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Inspector-General of Police (IG) are not seen to be working together in harmony, the situation creates an image problem for the Police generally. If there is any ambiguity with regards to roles, responsibilities or division of labour, such should please be resolved so that image of the Police is not undermined.
A more disturbing factor reducing the status of the Police is the rent and debt collecting role which some police personnel have undertaken. The Police have a duty to advise complainants bringing civil cases to them, to seek redress in a civil court. But some police personnel collude with complainants to treat civil cases such as debt disputes, as criminal ones, involving detaining people who should not be detained. There have been cases where rent, business and debt disputes are cleverly recorded in crime diary as malicious damage or conduct likely to cause breach of the peace, to justify detaining a debtor.
Much of the erosion of the status of the Police had been brought about by the demeaning activities of some police personnel. This also includes the shameless behaviours that we see daily at road check points. A situation where weapons are used to intimidate road users, including drivers of commercial vehicles, cannot be described as performance of lawful duties. While poor remuneration in public services and the declining value of the naira are frustrating factors, the image of the Police should not be brought into disrepute through acts of indiscipline by its personnel.
An additional factor which has seriously undermined the status of the Police is the privatization of the services of police personnel. It is an open secret that police officers and men lobby quite seriously to be posted to beats considered juicy. Such beats include rigs and flow stations of oil companies where the team of security personnel is fed very well by the companies, apart from other gifts and benefits. Similarly, serving as orderlies to senior politicians and state officials can bring additional money and power to some police personnel who are lucky to have such postings. Other colleagues get jealous.
Much of the clamour for the creation of state police or neighbourhood watch had arisen from the over-stretching of the strength of the Police through the private and commercial deployment of available personnel. Not enough police manpower remains available to serve the public. Another factor undermining the image of the Police is the attitude or operational patterns of the Special Anti-Robbery Squard (SARS). Personnel of that special unit behave as if all Nigerians are violent criminals. They are known to get involved in matters far from robbery just as they are associated with crude and uncouth behaviours.
A situation where members of a supposedly disciplined establishment allow themselves to be hired and used for partisan political errands, allows that they be regarded as thugs. It has become difficult for patriotic Nigerians to see the Police as friends who deserve help or hints. In a similar way, there also appears to be little coordination between the Police and other security agencies.
Proliferation of various security outfits including the Civil Defence Corps also adds to the devaluation of the status of the police. There is some concern in the existence of many security and gun-carrying outfits, especially where there is a growing intrusion into police duties and spheres of operation. It has become difficult to know when one is dealing with the Police, political thugs, robbers or other groups of macho-men, wearing different uniforms.
The Police should revive or intensify frequent local lectures for its personnel, especially the rank and file, whereby various experts can be invited to address the men. Rising complaints of degree holders serving as NCOs needs to be addressed to grade them properly, not frustrate them.
Dr. Amirize is a retired lecturer from the Rivers State University, Port Harcourt.

Bright Amirize