No fewer than 150 security operatives in Enugu State are currently undergoing training on community policing programme to enhance security in the state.

The security operatives, who are undergoing the training being organised by the Nigeria police Programme (NPP) and Nigeria Police Command in Enugu State, are drawn from the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and vigilant watch group in the state.

Monitoring the progress of the training at the Central Police Station, Enugu, Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, said that the training was made possible through partnership with the police and the NPP.

Danmallam, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Imaikop Okponkpong, noted that each batch of 30 trainees would be trained intensively for three or four days.

He said that resources persons for the training had been drawn from the police and NPP; while the various batches would conclude their training in a month time.

The police boss noted that police officers and men, as well as all those in community policing project, must imbibe professionalism in the daily discharge of their duties.

He said that the training would further expose all trainees to best practices in policing as well as enhance their operational efficiency at the community level.

"The command is keying into the various NPP projects in order to gradually engineer all those involved in policing at the grassroots to discharge their duties with dignity and human face.

"The training will also cover legal issues, rules of engagement and human relations while engaging in community policing duty,’’ he said.

According to him, I am convinced that after attending this intensive training for three or four days, it will remarkably make a difference in the attitude of most security operatives in the state.

"This training is also a form of stepping down Community Safety Programme (CSP) programme and further cement the existing relationship between the command and residents for effective community policing,’’ he said.

Earlier, Deputy Team Leader, NPP Projects in Enugu State, Mr Idris Bawa, lauded the commissioner for supporting NPP programmes as well as providing logistics for them to succeed.

Bawa noted that the police and other security operatives needed to work on their image so that the public would relate well and close with them.

“This training will help change negative tendencies and unprofessional conducts among security operatives at various levels and organisations,’’ he noted.

It would be recalled that the NPP’s Community Safety Programme (CSP), otherwise known as the community policing framework initiative, is domiciled at Central Police Station, Enugu, which had been chosen as the pilot division for NPP projects in the state.

The pilot states for the domestication of the community policing framework under NPP include: Borno, Enugu, Kano and Lagos.