The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, who confirmed the development, explained that at least 50 persons would be recruited from each of the 774 local government areas in the country, adding that the recruitment exercise might kick off in August.
As part of measures to check rising insecurity in the face of insufficient manpower in Nigeria’s police force, the Force had in May concluded plans to engage thousands of Special Constables to work with conventional policemen in communities.
The police had presented the idea to the state governors who were said to have bought into the scheme.
The men, who will not be armed, are expected to handle charge room and administrative duties, crowd control, accident scene duties, alternative dispute resolution and other less sensitive and less risky functions.
They are expected to dress in police uniform but with a different force number to distinguish them from the regular cops.
It was learnt that respectable members of the society like pastors, imams, teachers, lawyers, journalists and youths would be considered for the volunteer job.
The constables, after receiving training in police colleges, will work on a part-time basis with regular policemen, he said, adding that this would free up more police manpower to deal with serious operation and other security issues.
Mba stated, “Our focus is to pursue a technologically-driven Police Force to reduce the number of policemen on the road.
So, we have decided to introduce the special constabulary system which involves the recruitment of voluntary citizens to work as part-time policemen.
“They would be recruited from their immediate constituency where they would work with the conventional policemen.
The Nigerian Police Force currently have over 300,000 policemen out of which significant number are guarding political officer holders and VIPs.
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