The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, Zone 17, comprising Ondo and Ekiti States, Mr Ajani Omolabi, says the police are now civil in their relationship with people.
Omolabi, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Sunday in Akure, said the policy had endeared people to the police, a development which he said was useful in getting information to fight crime in the zone.
“The police have become civil rather than being bossy. We are now civil to the people we are working with. We come to their level, engage them and we understand one another.
“It also helps us to get information easily from them. And also, the robust way of bringing ourselves to the community level, the open door policy, it has also helped us,” he said.
The AIG said there had been series of seminars, lectures with police officers and men in the two commands on the need to operate policy of openness, transparency and professionalism.
“I have held seminars, lectures with them. And this is always what I advocate, that we should be closer to the community in our work place and on the issue of giving information to the police.
“I have also had meetings with many communities, telling them that they should go directly to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, or even come to the Commissioner of Police or AIG, go and give your information.
“We are not far away from the people we are working with and whosoever that is giving us information, we make sure we protect such person,” he said.
Omolabi reiterated the need for the public to accept police as their friend and partners in fighting crimes, adding that police were servants to the people.
The AIG said his office was accessible to members of the public for any complaint and grievance.
Omolabi also said the police encouraged their personnel to acquire knowledge that would make policing and prosecution of suspects more efficient and proficient.
The AIG noted that the police had zero tolerance for indiscipline and misconduct among its personnel.
