A total of 480 special constables drawn from all local government areas in Osun state are now ready to commence duty to complement efforts of regular police in combating crime.
They arrived the state police headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday for onward dispatch to their various local government area to begin their assignments.
Special Constabulary is an offshoot of Community Policing being emphasised by the police in recent time for effective policing.
According to commissioner of Police in Osun State, Olawale Olokode, the 480 officers trained for State are volunteers who were expected to work under the supervision of a divisional police officer in their localities
He said, “following the growing concern on security, the special officers, comprising 44 females and 436 males have been equipped with series of training to support efforts of the regular police especially at the grassroots.
“They took part and successfully completed a special training at Police Training Schools, Eleyele, Ibadan and they are now ready to serve the local governments they came from, the state and the police.
“They have been taken through police training, police duties and I m convinced that the police will get better with the presence of this people.”
Governor Gboyega Oyetola who was represented by Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, urged the volunteers to elicit positive difference by discharging their assigned roles with integrity and loyalty.
Oyetola said his government will continue to prioritize support for the police and other security agencies,
as well as collaborating with other neighbouring states to reduce crime rate to the barest minimum.
“Our State is also ranked as the most peaceful in Nigeria. Despite the raging security challenges ravaging the nation, we still maintain this enviable status.
“To complement this profile, our Administration has consistently given the security and safety of our people their deserved prime of place, supporting the Nigeria Police and other security agencies to enable them to perform their duties effectively.
“We initiated and sustained an inclusive security arrangement that brings all our communities into our network to cooperate with and support the Police and other security agencies to achieve the security and safety that Osun people desire and deserve.
“We also collaborated with other States in the Southwest to form the Amotekun Security Network to police and protect our people and to deliver them from the raging insecurity in the nation.” Oyetola said.
The Governor urged the newly recruited volunteers to put the training acquired to good use at their respective duty posts.
He said “You must approach your duties with the highest level of professionalism, integrity, loyalty, dedication and character while eschewing the vices that may give the Force a bad name.
“As youths and future leaders, Osun and the Nigeria Police look up to you as young men and women that will give hope to the country and rescue our dear people from criminals and insecurity.”
