The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, is partnering with the Ikeja Golf Club to stem crime in the state.
Imohimi, who was received by the Club Captain, Niyi Latinwo, at the Club premises on Saturday night, said he came to seek the club members’ collaboration on security issues in the state, urging them “to say something whenever they see something”.
Imohimi told the cub members while introducing his policing plan that he can never be too busy to respond to the security challenges of members of the public, as protection of life and property were his priority.
He said: “I can never be too busy for my people as I know that security is key.
“What I am bringing into Lagos is not something entirely new but the strategy is new.
“For it to work, we need the trust and confidence of the people and we need to be professional, to gain that.
“The trust I have built so far earned me several intelligence information which have led to various raids on criminal hideouts.
“So it is the cooperation that I have come to ask you for and if you see anything, please say something.
“What I am bringing to Lagos is community policing, because we must involve you in how you are being policed.
“Henceforth, the police will not sit and expect the people to bring their problems. We will now reach out to the people to identify their security challenges.
“My town hall meetings have exposed me to the fact that various communities had different challenges, ranging from cultism to rape, which we are tackling.”
The CP added that the vigilante groups would be restructured in a way that they can work with the police, to tackle neighborhood crimes.
He said: “We have vigilante groups and what we have decided to do is to restructure them by profiling them, while we also reach out to the Local Governments, for their support.
“Each vigilante group will, however, be attached with armed policemen, to patrol neighborhoods between midnight and 6am.
“Police visibility will also be increased, as your closest stationed patrol vehicles will now serve as the first complaint centres, when in distress.
“Consultation is ongoing to identify the flash points.
“So far, for the past three weeks, according to statistics, we have seen a gradual drop in crime but we need your support to motivate us.”
Imohimi said while responding to the case of some policemen who allegedly beat up a man at Gowon Estate, Ipaja, added that it would no longer be business as usual for unprofessional police officers.
Club Captain Latinwo subsequently appreciated the CP for his efforts so far and encouraged him to take policing closer to the people.
Latinwo said: “It is an honor for us to host the CP, as we all have several issues to relate with the police about.
“Fortunately, he has given us his phone number, but tonight he will give us his personal assistant’s phone number too, which we can also reach him on.
“However, we will not ask him to do what is detrimental to the state or the people as we are responsible people here.”