CP To Adopt Community Policing In Rivers

The Rivers State
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hyelasinda Musa Kimo, says his administration would explore the use of community policing in the fight against crime and other criminal activities in the state.
The state Commissioner of Police gave this indication during his maiden press briefing held at the Police Officers Mess in Port Harcourt, Monday, noting that members of the public are cardinal partners in crime fighting.
CP Musa Kimo stated that the command would synergise and cooperate with the public to form a common formidable frontier against crime and criminality in the state and added that if countries like US, UK and West in general can drive their security through community policing despite their high investment in security gadgets, why would we not embrace it.
According to him, the police cannot achieve much without the support of the community through information sharing, logistics support, adding that some of their strategies in enhancing community policing was intensification of foot patrol, outreach in schools, religious centres and markets.
He posited that such measures would take us closer to the public and move the public to be closer to the police and noted that it would put an  end to mutual suspicion, exploitation and corruption between the police and the public.
The state police boss averred that there would be increased police presence in the nook and crannies of the state and that the visible presence of the police would  serve as a deterrent to criminals on one hand and provide security to good people of the state.
“I am,  however, not unaware that this could be used as an opportunity for very few and unrepentant bad eggs in the police to extort, hence I have empowered the command’s-squad to monitor and checkmate the activities of such policemen as well as road users who may be moved in corrupt practices.