Yemisi Izuora
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Edgal Imohimi, has directed police officers in the state to dress in uniforms while on duty.
He warned that “any policeman who carries out operational duties in mufti will be sanctioned.”
He said this at the 3rd Stakeholders Security Meeting on Security Policing, organised by the Area ‘D’ Command, Mushin, with the theme: ‘Policing the Community by the Community.’
To march action with words, the Command boss disclosed that the two policemen, who allegedly assaulted a lawyer last week in Ikoyi area of Lagos, would be demoted in ranks, for wearing plain clothes to effect the arrest of the legal practitioner.
He however, stated that only certain policemen were allowed to wear jackets with the inscriptions of their units on them.
Imohimi said: “Henceforth, no policeman should carry out operational duties in Lagos in mufti without police uniform. The only units allowed to wear jackets with the inscription of his unit on it are the Anti Cultism unit, Anti Kidnapping unit, RAIDER; and the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, FSARS.
“Every other policeman on operational duties must be in uniform. They will only be in mufti only if they are attached to the investigation unit of the command. “We don’t want any policeman to cause us any embarrassment.”
He also called on Lagosians to join the Command in the fight against unprofessional conduct by policemen by reporting any policeman in uniform found drinking beer in the public, on the designated numbers in the public domain.
He was, however, quick to add that while sanctions would be meted on erring policemen, those who performed well would be given letters of commendation, informing that 30 policemen were already in the commendation list.
The police boss, who took a swipe on parents in child training, decried the rate of drugs intake by youths and their involvement in cultism.
He said: “Cultism and drug intake have taken over our children. That is the greatest challenge confronting us in Lagos.”