The Nigeria Police officer plays a complex role, one which requires him to bridge the gap between existing written law and the changing values and variant subcultures of society. The need to expand his working knowledge of human psychology to function as effective security personnel is a pivotal stand for professionalism.
It’s on this note that one of the indigenous Psychological consulting firms, Wise World Firm Consults Ltd in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Trust Fund organized a training session for the Nigeria Police Force on Psychological Development, Human Rights, Rights of the Police, and Conflict Management.
The session which was held from Monday, June 4 to Wednesday, June 6 2022 witnessed a robust engagement of Security Personnel with an array of experts who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavours.
In her remark, the Programme Convener, Christie Dagogo George stated that the training would deliver on improved psychological stability and determination to combat and overcome insecurity in our nation and to re-expose the rights of the citizens to the participants as enshrined in the constitution.
Speaking further, the chairman of the event who doubles as the Dean of Law Baze University, Prof. Ali Ahmed expressed that the powers of the police as stipulated in the Nigerian Constitution and other enabling acts give the Police power to maintain law and orders and such orders can be best protected in accordance with the best psychological form.
The Programmes featured Psychological development for the Nigeria Police Force, Human Rights in the Nigeria Legal System, and the Role of the Nigeria Police in Conflict Management.
The dean argues that professionalism (including that of police officers) is a sphere of constant compromises, which faces a number of problems due to its ethical content, regardless of the sphere of its application.
Delivering the topic on Psychological effect of Human Rights and Rights of Police, Barr. Zino Ogbona Esq (MCIArb) lectured that the rapidly changing knowledge (caused by the postindustrial information-based environment), partnerships, social media that aim to inform society even at the cost of disclosing investigative information, and the existence in the professional sphere, associated with the benefit of the doubt, which leaves police officers no margin for error.
He made recommendations for improving the psychological competency of police officers including balancing the theoretical and psychological-practical professional training to balance and to avoid Human Rights abuse.
In addition, he posited that the internship of investigators should include not only artificially modeled act of communication, but also its version that is adapted to reality, and the reformation of practical police education in the field of communication can contribute greatly to the psychological competence of police officers who are interested in acquiring information from citizens.
In attendance were Executive Secretary and Chairman NPTF, IGP, Hon. Minister of Police Affairs, members of the National Assembly, Civil Society Groups, and members of the Nigeria Police Force to name a few.
