The new Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr Joseph Gobum Mukan, has pledged to entrench solid harmonious working relationship with the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike and the government of the state with a view to achieving common goals of crime fighting that would provide conducive environment for all citizens to realize their potentials in the state. The new police helmsman in the state stated this during his maiden press briefing at the Command Headquarters on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, yesterday, to intimate the people of the state on his mission statement and administration’s focus towards entrenching enduring peace and security in the state. Mukan said was in the state to address and tackle crime and criminality frontally in line with the vision and mission of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in accordance with rule of law, global best practices and respect for fundamental human rights in a democratic dispensation.

The CP explained that he would realize this mission through constructive engagement with critical stakeholders and community partnership, zero tolerance for corruption and respect for human rights, intelligence-led policing, visibility policing as well as credible leadership. According to him, his administration would involve citizens to partner with the police to achieve effective crime control through the IGP structured community partnership engagement. “There will be establishment of state community policing advisory committee, area command community policing advisory committee, local government community policing advisory committee and divisional community policing advisory committee that would deal with community policing matters, and foster security awareness while monitoring progress of community policing across the state”, Mukan stated.

On compliance to the zero tolerance for corruption and respect for human rights drive, Mukan stressed that he would ensure that innocent persons were not unlawfully detained and unjustifiably denied their liberties by police under his watch in the state, adding that all area commanders, DPOs /HODs have been directed to monitor and supervise the activities of their personnel, especially while enforcing compliance on the restriction order to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state. He warned officers and men of the command to desist from corrupt practices, saying that anyone found culpable would be sanctioned according to the rules of service engagement.