The Police Commissioner in the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, has asked officers and men to maintain good conduct in discharging their constitutional duties.
The CP said made the demand while addressing officers as he begun a tour of most of the communities in his immediate domain, after over four months of being at the helm of affairs.
On arriving the divisional headquarters of the Nigerian Police at Azikoro in Yenagoa Local Government Area, he expressed his desire to “encourage officers and men and to also sensitise them to the feelings of the public concerning our successes and failures”.
He stressed that his visit was in order to “rub minds with officials to see how the force could improve on their service delivery.
“We are considering how we can do more on what we are not doing well and how we can also strategise towards a crime free festive period as we approach December,” he told reporters.
He further said: “All of us are working together with the community and we do not also believe we are the only ones who can eradicate crime.
“We are working together with Civil Defence, we are working with the Military. We are working with Doo Akpo (a security outfit in the state). We are working with the Navy. All of us are working together to ensure that there is drastic reduction in crime”.
Addressing the issue of corruption in the force, Mr Ogunjemilusi highlighted that “the force takes the issue of corruption very very seriously. I did mention to you that we have a very strong team that goes after anybody found committing any acts of misconduct or found in any way that is unbecoming of a police officer.
“We don’t tolerate it and that has also helped us,” he added.
“You are aware also that before I came to this state, fueling of patrol vehicles was a big challenge, but now we are working together with the banks and the local government chairmen to support us, so the men have no excuse.
“They cannot use fueling of police vehicle as a ground for extortion and corrupt practice anymore,” the police commissioner stressed.
Ogunjemilusi also paid a courtesy visit to the chairman of the Yenagoa Local Government Area, as well as the king of the Epie/ Atissa kingdom.
At the palace, he informed the king that his visit was to acquaint himself with the monarch and foster ways in which they could form a synergy to bring lasting peace to the kingdom.
King Godwin Igodo while appreciating the thoughtfulness of Mr Ogunjemilusi mentioned that the police’s job was a difficult one.
“It is a job that you are always on the receiving side,” he said.
the King believes nobody talks good of the police and explaining his point, he said: “it is because you are stopping people from crime and doing what they have been doing illegally to earn their living. So, they are not happy about that, but there’s nothing we can do”.
He, however, advised the force to continue to do its best in combating crime.