Shake – Up In Rivers Police Command …DPOs, Others Redeployed

The authorities of Rivers State Police Command say 18 Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) across the command have been redeployed.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu made the disclosure during the monthly press briefing held at the conference hall of the police headquarters in Port Harcourt, last Friday.

Mbu said the essence of the redeployment was to inject new vigour in the leadership cadre of the police in the affected stations as well as promote effectiveness in the force.

He particularly listed the affected police divisions to include Omoku, Elele, among others, adding that another reason which gave rise to the redeployment was to remove officers who have stayed long in a particular place.

According to him, hard working divisional police officers would not be removed from their stations, adding that erring officers would be disciplined. He stressed that he could not remove any DPO based on request from traditional rulers or politicians in any area.

“So far, erring divisional police officers have been transferred out of the 56 DPOs in the state, 18 have been transferred out of their stations, especially, when there are consistent complaints against such officers, he added.

The state police boss further disclosed that the restructuring exercise also affected officers of the state Criminal Intelligence Department (CID), operations, as well as other police formations across the state, adding that the objective was to make the force perform effectively and efficiently in the state.

Mbu while answering questions on the issue of arbitrary use of siren and tinted vehicles glasses in the state, announced that the commander of Swift Operation Squad (SOS), Mr Johnson Oni has been appointed to oversee the Special Committee set up to ensure compliance to the order of Inspector General of Police on the enforcement of the ban on tinted glasses to bring same to the office of the force PRO for onward transmission to Abuja for verification.

The commissioner of police used the opportunity to warn members of the public not to pay money to any police officer in the name of permission to use tinted glass vehicles, adding that no state commissioner of police has the power to grant such permission.

He assured the people that the police was ever determined to combat crime in the state, and urged members of the society to assist the police with useful information that would assist in crime fighting across the state.