Community Policing: Police Train 23 DPOs

Gombe State Police command has commenced training of Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) on ‘Community Policing’, Austin Iwar, the state Commissioner of Police said on Monday.

Speaking at the commencement of a four-day training in Gombe, Iwar said not less than 23 DPOs will undergo the training, which is aimed at service delivery in the state and the country at large.

He explained that the exercise would assist in refreshing the knowledge of the officers in basic policing skills and practical police-community partnership.

Iwar added that the move is in line with the community safety and crime prevention strategy of the state command.

“With the commencement of this training, the Gombe State Police Command has decided to reinvigorate police-community partnership approach to policing, in line with the policy of the IGP,” he said.

“This is also in line with the determination of President Muhammadu Buhari to make ‘police- community’ partnership approach to policing, the central focus, to make our communities safer.

“It increases community safety by means of jointly identifying problems and proffering solutions of mutual benefit to the public and the police.

“Community policing is basically a change from our traditional policing styles, to more people- centered approach, where policing priorities are determine by concerns of the community.”

In addition, Iwar stated that the DPOs, who head different divisions in the state, will after the training, train other policemen in their respective stations.