THE SLAP HEARD AROUND THE WORLD

by Richard Sole

he was in a wheelchair and neck braces was just as sensational.

Then there is the slap recently heard around the world. Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti, a scion of the late popular Afrobeat maestro, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, caught on camera striking police personnel in the face. And the dispute between the popular Arise Television journalist Rufai Oseni and policemen in Lagos in 2022 over alleged floutingofroadtrafficregulations.

These are prominent cases no doubt. However, several other incidents of breakdown in PCR have gone unreported and they subsequently fall off the radar of public notice. Nevertheless, these conducts are disturbing, it devastates our community, and it erodes the community’s trust in police work. They are tragic eventsborne ofaflawedsystemofpolicing.

We highlight Rumsfeld’s phraseology with a spotlight on the known unknowns. There are some things we do not know. However, what we do know is that there are multiple high profile police community incidents of the recent past that highlight a collapse of PoliceCommunity Relations (PCR) and subsequently puts the issue of policing front and center on the community relations spectrum. Here we discuss this phenomenon andproffersolutions.

For example, in October 2020, a series of mass protests erupted across several cities across Nigeria against police brutality with the hashtag #Endsars. The Special AntiRobbery Squad now disbanded, was a notorious unit of the Nigerian Police Force with a long record of abuse directed at Nigerian citizens. The protest led to the killings of protesters by security operatives, destruction of properties by protesters, and the killing of twenty-two police personnel. The emotional toll of its aftermath carvedatraumaonournation’spsyche.

Take the case of former Nigerian Senator Dino Melaye’ s arrest, restrained in the back of a Toyota Hilux pick-up truck in March 2018, or the ‘Ramboesque’ arrest of former Governor Rochas Okorocha in 2022. Defying their orders to surrender, a combined team of security operatives charged his residence while he livestreamed the drama on social media. The arrest of ‘Peter-theRock’, ex-Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose in 2018 while

This poor perception of the Nigerian Police is further corroborated by the World Internal Security and Police Index (WISPI) which measures indicators of internal security worldwide and ranks countries according to their ability to provide security services. The WISPI examines four domains of internal security: capacity, process,legitimacy,andoutcomes.

The Nigerian Police Force was scored low on account of major gaps in these critical domains. This suggests an erosionofpublictrustintheNigerianPoliceForce.

We observe that police work is difficult and that many police personnel perform the difficult work of policing with professionalism, courage and respect. On a daily basis the work is extremely strenuous and often very dangerous. Their responsibilities are enormous and could not be more important. They are asked to keep our communitysafeandensureequaljustice underlaw.

“For our police to succeed, we must provide them with clear policies and consistent training that explains and enforces their responsibilities under the law. So that they may do their jobs to the highest professional standards.”

For our police to succeed, we must provide them with clear policies and consistent training that explains and enforces their responsibilities underthe law. So thatthey maydotheirjobs tothe highestprofessionalstandards.

This is an important step toward providing our police force with the support and resources they need to do their job effectively and lawfully to achieve meaningful anddurablereform.

Whereas corruption, high crime rate, lack of fairness, excessive use of force and oppressive policies are identified as factors responsible for the negative perceptionoftheNigerianPoliceForce.

This broad perception of a flawed system emanates from the public from where the police draw recruitment. There is the belief that the Police are corrupt and abusive, and such abuses impair constitutionally guaranteedrights.

“There is the belief that the Police are corrupt and abusive, and such abuses impair constitutionally guaranteed rights.”

If we fix the organizational culture of the police force, a symptom of a wider societal illness, our remedy could possibly serve as a model for state governments, cities, police commands and community members to work togetherforeffectivepolicing.

“Transformational change is an important agent to keep inmind.” a. Community Policing. Community policing is a strategy that involves law enforcement officers working closely with members of the community to identify and solve problems together. This approach can help to build trust between police officers and community members. By engaging with residents, police officers can better understand the security concerns and work together to findsolutions. b. Training. Training is another important factor in improving police community relations. Police officers should be trained on how to interact with people from different cultures and backgrounds. They should also be trained on how to de-escalate situations and use nonviolent methods to resolve conflicts. This can help to reduce the number of violent encounters between police andcommunitymembers. c. Accountability. Accountability is crucial to improving police community relations. Police officers who engage in misconduct should be held accountable and publicly too for their actions. This can include disciplinary action or criminal charges. When police officers are held accountable for their actions, it sends a message that the community's trust is valued and that the police force is committed to maintaining public safety in a fair and just manner. d. Communication. Effective communication is essential to building trust between the police and the community. Police departments should make an effort to communicate with community members regularly. This can be done through community meetings, social media, or other means. By keeping the community informed about police activities and initiatives, they can help to build trustandfosterasenseofpartnership. e. Diversity. The Police force and its commands should strive to be representative of the communities they serve. This means hiring officers of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Diverse police departments can help to build trust with the community by demonstrating that they understand the unique needs and concerns of each communitymember. f. Improvements in Criminal Justice Administration. Improvements incriminaljustice administrationis key to some of the perception deficits. This can be explored via reduction in trial length, prevention of incarceration without trial, as well as provision of free legal representation (at public expense) for accused persons who do not have the financial means to engage legal counsel by themselves. patrol vans, arms and ammunition, ballistic protection equipment, crowd control equipment and other vital ancillary equipment would need to be provided for the Police.

The4domainsofWISPI; ‘Capacity’, thereare219police personnel for every 100,000+ citizens. A police force strength of about 350,000 personnel compared to its population of over 213.4 million. (2021) This is significantly below the 300 per 100,000 people standard recommended. Similarly, the homicide rate is in the region of 20 per 100,000 of the population. This is equallysignificantlyhigherthanthemedianrate.

Regarding the Process domain, there are numerous instances of long-drawn-out processes and subversion of judicial processes. We institute relevant process reevaluation to help shape reform and enhance success. WISPI legitimacy credo is questionable and Nigeria’ s score on WISPI outcomes are minimal. But we must be committed to creating the kind of police force that every Nigeriandeserves.

Here are some measures with input from residents, community members, religious leaders, city staff, human rights advocates, legal advocates, and many others who want a police force that serves them better. It may require that police commands meet specific goals under Federal Government oversight and may further require reformstobeoverseenbyanindependentmonitor.

They provide a framework for public safety, build on trustandcomplywithfederallaw.

Of course, it is understood that the financial burden might be too much for the Federal Government of Nigeria, this therefore calls for some form of private sector collaboration and engagement. Equally important is the provision and funding of overhead requirements such as fuel for vehicles, stationery, internet facilities andrunning costforpoliceoperations.

“Of course, it is understood that the financial burden might be too much for the Federal Government of Nigeria, this therefore calls for some form of private sector collaboration and engagement.” g. Improved Infrastructure and funding of the Police. Critical infrastructure such as communication systems,

In conclusion, improving police community relations is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach. By implementing community policing strategies, providing adequate training, holding police officers accountable for their actions, communicating effectively with the community, and striving for diversity, police commands can build trust with the communities they serve. By working together, law enforcement and community memberscancreatesaferandmorejustcommunities.

We have the resolve to make fair and lawful policing a reality for our country. I hope we provide a starting framework to improve public safety, build community trustandcomplywiththe constitutionandfederallaw.