The Police force is one institution that is very crucial to the survival of the country in terms of its role in the nation’s security arrangement. Because of their function to society, the police is so pervasive to such an extent that their frequent interface with members of the public placed a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. It is thus in cause of the discharge of their unenviable tasks that some who do not like their methods have errorneously resorted to calling them all sorts of derogatory names. This is in spite of the very crucial services they render.
Have you ever imagined what society would look like just for 24 hours without police presence? What with the current menace of kidnappings, armed robberies and sundry crimes which seem to confound and confuse all the security agencies and place the common populace at its wits end? Thus, the need to encourage members of the police force with the right doses of motivation packages would not be misplaced priority.
It is in this context that the recent recognition of the quality of the services rendered by some police officers would be considered. At the Maiden Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Annual  Awards 2012 in Abuja, last Thursday, where some police officers were honoured for outstanding  performance, the Inspector- General of Police, IGP, Muhammed Abubakar, noted that the officers were being honoured in recognition of “superior leadership qualities and outstanding performances in running their departments to the fullest potentials, exceptional services, zero tolerance for corruption and transparency, exemplary leadership qualities, among others.” Among the honorees were two Commissioners of Police, two Deputy Commissioners, a Chief Superintendent, an Inspector and a Sergeant, who were outstanding as CID operatives of the year. It is significant that all the recipients were drawn from the Special Fraud Unit, Anti-Fraud Section, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and the Interpol. This, in itself is a reflection of the type of criminal tendencies exhibited by Nigerians and the determination of the police to confront head-on fraudulent practices, corruption in high and lowly places, and the menace of armed robbers and kidnappers in our society. Thus, as commendable as this initial gesture to the deserving officers may be, it is the consensus that the police need to be better motivated to enable them, discharge their unenviable duties courageously.
The men and officers of the police force and in fact the armed services, apart from contemporary training and equipage, deserve better service conditions that would, in the first place, make service in the police force the first destination of young, intelligent and vibrant school leavers that would be committed to their onerous task of securing lives and property of the entire citizens. The murder of police officers in the course of duty makes this line of thought very imperative. We cannot forget in a hurry the invasion of Odi where 12 police officers were murdered by hoodlums and the recent ambush of a police convoy in Adamawa State where over 100 police officers were allegedly killed by local militia.
Only yesterday gunmen attack in Taraba State reportedly left three police officers dead. These disturbing incidents could demoralise prospective entrants into police service, especially if it is thought that the dependants of the victims may not be provided for after their sudden exit in line of duty. As such an urgent review of the service conditions for the police in such a way to attract youth that would be willing to confront criminals fearlessly cannot be out of place. No amount of motivation in my view would be too much to attract a citizen to place his life on the line for others to sleep in relative peace and comfort. Some are contending that crime is relatively high because of the low level of commitment on the part of the police, most of whom are there because of the acute unemployment situation in the country. This means that their obligation is measured in terms of what they receive at the month’s end in terms of financial reward. It is also, argued that because they operate in a system they perceive to care very little about their welfare, their contribution to social stability notwithstanding, they turned their anger on members of the public by way of extortion to make ends meet.
Therefore, with the newly inaugurated Police Service Commission (PSC), headed by a former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, now in place, deliberate effort should be made to reconsider police welfare packages. That the police live in squalor in their barracks is an understatement, while the rot in the police colleges is legendary. As those saddled with police welfare get set to improve on their service conditions, proper attention must be paid to death benefit for police officers who died in course of duty, as the police appear to be an endangered species for terrorists and armed robbers.