The Police Community Relationship Committee Proactive Security Training

The Police Community Relationship Committee (PCRC) is a Nigerian organization established by the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to foster a strong partnership between the police and the public to improve policing effectiveness and security. Its primary objective is to build and maintain trust between law enforcement and the communities, a crucial element for successful community policing.

According to the theme of this day's workshop, "Collaborative Security and Community Synergy," DCP Magaji, representing AIG Mohammed Gumel, said the collective collaboration of the police and the civilians is the only means to bring down crime and criminality in our society.

He outlined some of the successes of the PCRC: it has had a solid relationship with the police for over 40 years. It has brought improved relationship between police and the public and increased public participation of all genders. It has also enhanced stability and accountability, which has helped in serving the needs of the community.

The PCRC was conceived to foster peace, trust, partnership, and mutual responsibility between the police and the communities they serve within the grassroots and national level alike.

Alhaji Mogaji Ibraheem Olaniyan, National Chairman of the PCRC, said the PCRC has its challenges: the value of volunteerism for public good, building capacities, threats analysis, intelligence gathering, and rapid response. He emphasized the need to examine the root of PCRC leadership in shaping a stronger security.

He urged participants to approach the workshop with an open mind and a collaborative spirit and determination to act on the inside game to achieve tangible results that will be felt in every home.

Representing the Hon. Minister of Women Affairs, Iman Suleiman said it enhances the role women play in the society to foster credible development. She made a call for police to work together with women in building society by encouraging dialogue and cooperation between communities and society agencies stakeholders to promote women empowerment in participating in peace building decision making processes.

"By working together, we can build a safer and more resistant communities with each other, everyone to provide peace and society in Nigeria," she said.

Amb. Austen Yong, National Coordinator of the PCRC Monitoring Unit, gave a brief history of the PCRC. He said it was launched in Nigeria on April 27th, 2004, and is currently everywhere in the world.

He further emphasized the major reason for the workshop, which is to keep the community and give participants a framework for rapid threats recognition, to spot out earlier warning signs. The goal is to give participants a framework to identify and prepare to keep the community proactive, to be vigilant, and to practice intelligent collective documenting and communicating intelligence for stronger collaboration.

Prof. David Moveh from the Dept. of Political Science & International Studies at Ahmadu Bello University gave lectures on grassroots society initiatives intelligence, which he said is very critical in generation. It is very important intelligence that allows relevant agencies to practice and provide proactive measures to bring out some practical initiatives that play a major role to see how we can foster community security with key stakeholders to have synergy with major security holders, majorly in the Nigeria Police.

Mr. Vitalus Okafor, representing ALGON National President Hon. Engr. Bello Lawal, Chairman of the Workshop, said, "We need to deliberate strategy of collaborating securities anchored on community synergy. Security challenges are best confronted at the grassroots level where they are being felt mostly, rather than waiting for directives from above when crisis had already escalated," Vitalus added.