The Police Public Relations Officers in the country must be accessible to the public including the media and must be available and take their calls. The Chairman Police Service Commission and former Inspector General of Police, Dr Solomon Arase CFR has said in the ongoing Conference on PPRO’s in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
As information seekers, to make success in the designated assignment “you’re are not supposed to be boss but servant of the people”, “what you do or not tells on the image of the Nigeria Police Force”, the Chairman PSC drew the attention of the Police Spokeperson in the country to it.
The Head, Press and Public Relations of the Commission, Ikechukwu Ani delivery the message of Dr Solomon Arase said the work of the 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”.
” Information sharing has become a compelling imperative more that ever before since crime has become a mobile enterprise”. Arase was quoted to have said.
He acknowledged the steady momentum in keeping faith in ensuring that the annual event is imperative and successes cannot be overemphasize, building a viable interactive sessions among all Police Public Relations Officers across the country to brainstorm on the information management of the Nigeria Police Force , this is very critical to the success of Policing in a diverse Nigerian environment “, noting that the conference is germane towards effective policing at this very critical time in the history of the country.
According to Ani, we should be proactive because the operating environment is already in a 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 be ready to shape public opinion not just to react to them.
“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 in order 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. Ani credited Arase to have said in the statement read to the Police Spokeperson in the conference.
