Lagos State Police Command has assured members of the public of a more accessible and professional police.

According to Acting Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, the police had not been accessible and professional enough which had made members of the public loose confidence.

Imohimi gave the assurance during a police/community interactive session at the Area ‘J’ Command, Ajah, saying community policing and safety partnership was key to security and it could only work when the people had trust in the police.

According to him, “Joint problem solving is key in community policing. You can not partner with the people except you win their trust.

” We have trust issues which I know and some of the problems are not ours though. One of the problem is that we are not accessible and professional enough.

“I have however resolved that we must join hands as police to work with the people for community police to work.” he said.

Imohimi further urged members of the public to utilise the Citizens Complaints Hot Center (CCHC) to report any unprofessional conduct of the police.

“We can’t continue to remain as we are. We need to give the police a nudge to gain the trust and confidence of the people.” he said

The CP also emphasised the importance of partnership between the police and the people citing instances where it had helped in dousing the Badoo ritual killing and kidnap cases in Ikorodu.

He further urged parents and guardians to be vigilant as he condemned acts of cultism and drug abuse among the youths.

He also advised hoteliers against accommodating hoodlums and drug peddlers in their hotels.

Imohimi added that it will no longer be business as usual noting that whoever arrested for cultism or drug abuse will be arrested and prosecuted.

According to him, Kirikiri prison and Ikoyi prison presently has no vacancy as hoodlums are no longer allowed to patrol the streets aimlessly.

The CP commended the residents of Area J for low crime rate which he described as a result of synergy with the police and encouraged them to strengthen.

“We have our challenges but I urge you to support your Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers especially now that we are in the ember months.

“I know you want a peaceful neighborhood and am here to partner with you to make that achievable.” he said.

Imohimi also hinted that there were strong indications that the facilities of Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons were congested, necessitating the movement of criminal suspects to Badagry prison.

Reacting to a question on the activities of hoodlums in the state, he said the command since his assumption of office had been raiding black spots and mopping up criminals from the society.

Consequent upon the raiding, the police commissioner hinted that he had received a notice from the authority of both Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons that there was no more space in their facilities for the suspects.

He said this had necessitated the movements of suspected criminals to Badagry prison pending the determination of their cases.

Imohimi asserted that there was no time in the history of the state that raiding of hoodlums had been so massive compared to now, assuring that he was desirous of a Lagos where people could do business with ease, sleep with their eyes closed and their windows and doors opened at night if necessary.