Sanwo-Olu seeks framework for effective community policing.

Sanwo-Olu seeks framework for effective community policing.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for the development of a framework that will serve as a guide for effective community policing in the country.

Sanwo-Olu spoke on Monday at a town hall tagged, ‘Community policing: Building a safer Nigeria together,’ organised by the Ministry of Police Affairs at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island.

The governor said the framework must foster an understanding of responsibilities and set clear boundaries for every stakeholder involved in community policing.

“Community policing is not a new concept to us as a nation. It has, over the years, been at the centre of conversations on the best strategy to adopt in order to effectively address the challenge of insecurity manifesting in rising cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, and cultism, among others.

“The concept of community policing is receiving wide acceptance because it emphasises the involvement of the citizens who are encouraged to collaborate and partner with the police and other security agencies to secure themselves and their community. In other words, it is a concept that vividly agrees with the often-repeated notion that security is everybody’s business.

“It is, however, very important for us to recognise the need to develop a framework which will serve as a guide that will prevent the creation of gaps that will give room for uncoordinated efforts among all stakeholders.”

He added that the Lagos State government has always been in support of the desire to embrace community policing as a strategy to enhance the safety of lives and property.