The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, says divisional police officers and area commanders have been enjoined to go beyond merely displaying `Change Begins With Me` billboards, to ensuring their men practice its ideals.
Owoseni spoke on Thursday in Lagos while launching the `Change Begins With Me` mantra at the Lagos Police Command.
“Our alignment with the change begins with me mantra of the Federal Government is to demonstrate our resolve as a police institution that wants to be accountable and transparent in all our activities.
“This event is to give effect to the pledges of the Nigeria Police to be transparent and accountable in discharging her duty.
“We are here today to lend our voice as the police command with the very good people of Lagos to the promotion of that campaign of an accountable and transparent police force,” he said.
Owoseni said that the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force was not unmindful of the complaints about misconduct of police officers in public.
According to him, the force has always gone after such officers.
“We have not stopped, especially in Lagos, at just punishing them but we also gone the extra mile to reorientate them into imbibing a culture of civility and democratic policing,’’ he said.
Owoseni reiterated the command’s resolve to abide with the creed set out by the Inspector-General of Police on the need to police the country based on international core values of policing with integrity.
“We are also pledging that we will continue to make Nigeria safer and more secured.
“We have enjoined all our divisional police officers and area commanders not just to display the billboard of change begins with me, but to ensure that they practise those articles that are reflected on the billboard,” he said.
The Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa, who was represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Information Strategy and Security, Mr Tunde Braimoh, also emphasised the need for change in the police.
“Over the years, accusing fingers have been pointed to the Nigeria Police Force.
“The issue of trust in the Nigeria Police has been enmeshed in mess so much that even the mantra “police is your friend” no longer carries any weight among Nigerians.
“It is beyond doubt that the security situation of Nigeria today is still alarming, even as cultists are moving freely within the state in broad daylight.
“To be candid with you, Nigeria police is in dire need of fundamental reforms and recharge, targeted at vision actualisation and rapid recharge to rise to the challenges that Nigerians face.” he said.
The Chairman, Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Dr Rasaq Balogun, said that the issue of change begins with me was for everyone and not for the police only
“This matter of change should not be something that we talk about now and leave it tomorrow. We are all part of nation building,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, Owoseni, also on Thursday, inaugurated the rehabilitated Ikeja Police Station, charging officers and men to be professional in their conduct.
The Police Commissioner, at the event, warned officers and men of the command against extortion at their stations or during road operations.
”Let the change start with you in your action with members of the public. We want to see officers on the road doing the right police work.
”We do not want to see officers collecting money from Keke Marwa (tricycles) or commercial buses.
“We say bail is free; no officer should do anything contrary.
”A police officer is not a debt collector,” he said.
Owoseni commended the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), CSP Bayo Olasoji and the Ikeja community for rehabilitating and equipping the police station.
The CP described the project as a good example of police/public partnership programme.
He urged other senior police officers to add value to any office they may be posted to without waiting for special grants from the force headquarters.
Owoseni enjoined the men and