The Chairman Police Service Commission (PSC), IGP Musiliu Smith (retd), Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and other security stakeholders have pleaded with youths from the South to join the Police Force.
The stakeholders, speaking during a one-day Sensitisation/Town Hall Meeting on police recruitment exercise, held at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa. Ikeja, Lagos noted that the number of people responding to calls by the Federal Government for police recruitment has nosedived.
The PSC Chairman said parents and other well-meaning Nigerians should make efforts to encourage upright and responsible citizens to apply for recruitment in the force.
Smith said if the educated and upright young ones are motivated to join and remain in the police, the country would definitely be on the way to having the right number of men and women needed for an efficient police force.
Smith noted that police and policing are indispensable to a peaceful and growing country that is determined to change the narratives on the issue of her internal security.
‘We must continuously raise the alarm if we notice that some criminal elements in our community are applying to join the police with the recommendation of some community leaders. We must come together as a community to ensure that only the best are recruited into the Nigerian Police.
‘The PSC has adopted an approach to improving police citizens relationships through community engagement forums such as this one where issues that affect citizens are addressed and endeavour to keep the conversations going.
‘The purpose of providing security and safety is defeated if the police as a security organisation is contaminated with persons who are criminally minded owning to the poor calibre of those applying for recruitment. No one knows better the character of its citizens than members of the community therefore, citizens are encouraged to kindly urge people of good character to join the force.
‘Those applying for intake should take the process seriously by preparing very well for the examination to give them the best possible chance of success.’
He added that citizens should endeavour to encourage serving police officers by reporting and commending professionalism and acts of valour to relevant authorities as much as they regularly report misconducts by bad eggs.
He also said some of the officers are not interested in improving themselves educationally when they eventually join the force.
