The Chairman of the Police Service Commission Dr. Solomon Arase CFR, rtd Inspector General of Police has charged Police Public Relations Officers across the state Commands and Departments of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that they are accessible to the public including the media adding that they must be”available and must take their calls”.
Dr. Arase said they should also be aware that to make a success of their assignment “you are not supposed to be the boss but the servant of the people who are constantly seeking for information adding that what you do or not tells on the image of the Nigeria Police Force”.
Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations of the Commission conveyed the PSC Chairman’s message to the Media on the sidelines of the opening Ceremony of the Annual Conference of the Police Public Relations Officers held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Mr. Ani represented Dr. Arase on the occasion.
The PSC Chairman according to Ani says that the work of Police Public Relations Officers at any level “is challenging and calls for dedication and commitment” adding “We must live up to the original essence of communication which is to share commonness and the greatest ingredient of such commonness can be located in deep trust of the citizens; a trust that is founded on the reality that information from them are treated upon on the strictest confidence.
According to him “Information sharing has become a compelling imperative more than ever before since crime has become a mobile enterprise”.
He noted that he is gratified that the management of the Nigeria Police Force has kept faith with the Annual Conference which brings together all the serving Public Relations Officers of the Force to a round table to brainstorm on the way forward on information management of the Force “which to me is very critical to the success of Policing in a diverse Nigerian environment “. He noted that the Conference is therefore very germane in advancing effective policing in Nigeria and could not have come at a better time.
Dr Arase disclosed said the operating environment is already in flux and compels the Nigeria Police Force to not only rapidly adapt but also strive to stay ahead of the curve of changing public opinion. We should not only react to public opinion but should anticipate and shape public opinion, we must be proactive”, he said.
He enjoined the participants to note that globalisation and democratisation of information and a raft of other developments in the operating environment of the Nigeria Police Force “have combined to demand a review of our engagement with our various publics to get the support we need to succeed in the discharge of our duties in our modern, sophisticated world” adding that “Public Relations is more than a one-way communication; our interface with the public must place a premium on the feedback channels for a more rounded and rewarding engagement “.
He promised that the Police Service Commission will continue to support the Nigeria Police Force in the effective and efficient discharge of its duties as the lead Agency in internal security and will in our communication to the public” continue to highlight the success stories of the Police for in partnership we will achieve greater success “.
