Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State has inaugurated 595 Special Police Constabulary to complement the efforts of regular security agency to fight crime and insecurity in the state and cautioned them to conduct themselves strictly within the code of conduct and rules of engagement.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the Special Police Constabulary in Jos, Governor Lalong said Plateau State was one of the first states to key in, which saw it sending about 595 candidates drawn from the 17 Local Government Areas for training at the Police Training School in Nasarawa State.
According to him, their choice was driven entirely by their communities after thorough vetting adding that they have been given the requisite training that will enable them contribute to tackling insecurity particularly at the grassroots.
“This is a great moment for our administration which believes that security can only be possible with the participation of the people at the grassroots who are conversant with their environment.
“For this reason, I expect that these Special Constables who were chosen and nominated through their communities and their traditional rulers will assist in ensuring that their communities are safer henceforth. With your knowledge of the environment, you should be able to assist the police and other law enforcement agencies with information for better performance.”
He tasked them to participate in intelligence gathering, tracking and enforcement within the ambits of the law and under the training and guidelines they have been given adding that the desire was to prevent crime rather than react after it has occurred.
Governor Lalong warned communities who are in the habit of shielding criminals either because of religion, ethnicity, politics or profit should be ready for a full blown fight adding his government will hunt down any suspected criminal and his collaborators with more zeal like never before.
The governor, however, assured the Special Constables of Government protection and support in ensuring they have necessary tools to operate with but cautioned them to conduct themselves strictly within the code of conduct and rules of engagement and should not constitute themselves into another tool of crime or oppression.
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He said: “You have to bear in mind that there will be temptation from criminals who will like to buy you over or induce you to turn a blind eye to their criminal endeavours. If you succumb to them, be sure that you are selling the destiny of your communities and the entire State which will eventually consume you also.
“Similarly, you should guard against human right abuses and oppressing the people. While the Government is working hard to address allegations of misconduct against some of the operatives of the disbanded SARS, we should do everything to build and sustain confidence of the people in the security architecture especially now that we are trying to reform the policing system.”
He therefore called on all citizens of the state to support the youths who have volunteered to serve their communities and the state adding that they need the support and compassion of all as they carry out the delicate and risky assignment.
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