NPower Volunteers Community Policing Rank

This post is to share more light on ranks in Regular and community police in Nigeria. Since the FG announced that they are going to use N-Power graduate volunteers for community policing, a lot of volunteers has been asking questions regarding ranks in the community policing. That is why we created this update.

The IG of Police Mr Adamu said the Community Policing Model envisaged for the country will involve the establishment and utilisation of the Special Constables.  He also said Special Constables Model is mirrored after the Police Community Support Officers Standard in the United Kingdom policing architecture.

Special constables are volunteer police officers who have exactly the same powers as a regular officer, and (with minor exceptions) wear the same uniform and are issued the same equipment. The roles of "specials" can vary greatly from force to force, though normally include working with local regular officers to provide an additional and heightened police presence on the streets and in the local community. They may also be requested to police particular events such as football matches and community events.

So when you look at it from the aspect of Nigeria community policing, since the personnel they are going to be recruiting are all N-Power graduates, they may probably fall under the rank of graduate entry level which is Assistant Superintendent of Police under special constable category.

According to the article written by Muhammad Auwal Umar (PhD) title
"Lessons Learnt in Implementing Community Policing in Nigeria"

Community Policing Misperceptions

• Many police officers and stakeholders perceive Community Policing as one of many policing tasks such as crime detection or accident investigation.
• It is seen as one more department in the police force
• Many people presume that community policing is a precise formulaic model or technical specification that can somehow be transplanted into any policing environment regardless of organisational or cultural context.
• Community policing is not a department
• It is a way of being.
• It is a way of conducting oneself as a professional policeman or policewoman.
• It is the foundation for every policing policy, strategy and operational directive.
• It is a belief system; an idea; a philosophy, in just the same way as one would for example describe the concepts of democracy or human rights.
• It is all embracing i.e. it encompasses every aspect of policing, at every rank and at every role.
• The Community Policing Project is founded on the nation of service and is born out of the need for the Nigeria Police to orientate itself to the demands and expectations of Nigeria’s new democratic dispensation.
• Adopting the concept entails a commitment that the police will aim to achieve policing excellence.
• By applying best practice principles & learning to every policing function & process operational, administrative, management or executive.
• Community Policing Project is founded on the notion of SERVICE & is born out 0f the need for the NP!“ to orientate itself to the demands & expectations of Nigeria’s democratic dispensation.
• It is a living and dynamic set of principles & values against which policing objectives & performance can be measured.