Not even in Britain, Nigeria’s erstwhile colonial master do you have such a police structure. The examples are there and same reasons of diversity, spatial extent, national configuration makes state policing the proper way to achieve effective policing.
India, for example, has the central police known as the India Police Service but essential policing is done by state police officers in the states with a complete and separate command as in states like Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, etc.
The foregoing explains why even a unitary state like Britain has several local and regional police forces under separate and independent Chief Constables such as the Metropolitan Police, Greater Manchester Police, Thames Valley Police, Northumbria Police, etc. Added to those are the Welsh and Scottish police forces. In USA, the arrangement is even more diffused and decentralised going from the community/city police, to the county, state and the FBI. In fact, the government axis or arenas have their own police forces known as the Capitol Police all of which are independent from one another.
The secret of multi-forces policing of any nation-state is jurisdiction. Once, each services jurisdiction is clearly defined, a well-policed community follows. States with resources can give its police force the kind of training and facilities it can afford, necessary for securing its states against criminal elements. The Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra states police services in India, for example, train their officers and men at the Atlanta City Police Academy in the USA, while the Tamil Nadu State Police Academy is even pursuing a degree awarding university status in the state.
The arrangements above have nothing to do with the Indian Central Police Services. Even one, two or three states can pool resources jointly to establish one academy to train its local police offices. Nothing stops Imo, Abia and Ebonyi states or Borno, Yobe and Gombe states from collaborating and establishing joint police academies. States that are interested can proceed to set up, while those safer with federal police can remain in that state for a given period.
In amending sections 214, 215 & 216 of the Constitution relating to the Police Force, the National ThinkTank recommended the following:
(3) (a) Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions (214,215 & 216), a State of the Federation shall be free to establish and maintain a Police Service for the maintenance and securing of public safety within the State and enforcement of all relevant laws of the state”
(b)For the purpose of subsection(1) above such a State shall establish a Police Training School regulated and compliant to standards in force in police forces in terms of discipline, schedule of duty, weaponry, ranks and promotions amongst other issues”.
(c)The Head of the State Police shall be designated by the title Chief of Police who shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the State Police Service Commission”;
(d)Notwithstanding, the provisions in this section, a State of the Federation shall be free to retain at all times the existence and services of the Nigerian Police for the purpose of maintenance and securing public safety”;
(e)Where the act of the Nigeria Police Force conflicts with that of State Police Service, that of the Nigeria Police Force shall prevail”;
(f) “It shall be lawful for any person who feels that his right has been infringed upon by the State Police Service to apply to a Federal High Court to have his matter transferred to the offices of the Nigeria Police Force immediately within jurisdiction”.
Finally, It must be stated that mindful of abuses which state authorities can deploy state police officers to, several control systems were recommended by both committees. The federal police must exist across the country to check all abuses and violations of rights as its first original mandate.
And so a state governor who imagines himself empowered to intimidate or oppress political opponents will face legal and constitutional restrains and controls. Only criminals would really be afraid when states begin to have their police forces.
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Solidstonez
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