The Police Service Commission has sought for an end to the operation of Special Police Constabulary on grounds that the quasi-police formation created to assist in community policing is tarnishing the image of the original police.
The Commission’s Chairman, Solomon Arase, made this demand and has approached the Police Inspector General, according to PSC spokesperson, Ikechukwu Ani.
The latter in a statement he released where he quoted Arase, said the former IG was of the view that the Constabulary officers’ alleged incivity is causing the police a bad image.
On that basis, he advised that they should be made to wear separate uniforms that would distinguish them from the regular police, adding that it is better for the outfit to be scrapped in states where government are not paying them salaries.
“There have been several reports of unprofessional conduct by officers of the outfit, a quasi-police formation created to assist in community policing.
“Reports of their unprofessional conduct range from highhandedness in dealing with citizens and barefaced extortion on our roads and communities. The commission calls for an entirely different set of uniforms for officers of the outfit that should be easily differentiated from that of the regular police officers.
“This, it noted, will help to track appropriately the conduct of men of the outfit and that of the regular police officers and free the Nigeria Police Force from blame associated with the misconduct of men of the outfit. The commission further calls for the disbandment of the outfit in states where they are not salaried and taken care of.
“The commission has observed that these set of men have descended on innocent Nigerians for their daily upkeep through forceful extortion and intimidation.
“The chairman of the commission, Dr Solomon Arase, retired Inspector General of Police, said the commission will work with the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to sanitise the organisation and operations of the outfit. Dr Arase said there is an urgent need to differentiate the special constabulary from regular police officers and clearly define their operations, including uniforms and rules of engagement,” Ani quoted Arase as saying.
