By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Police Command has stepped up its community policing strategy, charging coordinators of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) across the state to intensify grassroots engagement and stakeholder advocacy in the fight against crime and other social vices.
The charge was given during a strategic meeting with the eight Area Command Coordinators and 54 Divisional Coordinators of POCACOV held at the Command Headquarters in Awka.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Tuesday, the engagement formed part of the Command’s proactive, non-kinetic policing approach aimed at preventing crime, strengthening community resilience and enhancing public safety across Anambra State.
The Command stressed that sustainable security can only be achieved through effective collaboration between the Police and critical stakeholders, including traditional rulers, religious bodies, educational institutions, youth and women groups, market associations, civil society organisations and other community-based groups.
Speaking during the engagement, the Command described POCACOV as a strategic platform for crime prevention through advocacy, mentorship, value reorientation and public enlightenment.
It, therefore, directed the coordinators to intensify grassroots sensitisation campaigns against cultism, substance abuse, cybercrime, domestic violence, bullying and other social vices capable of undermining peace, security and socio-economic development within communities.
The various coordinators were also tasked with strengthening their engagement with schools, communities and relevant stakeholders ahead of the planned visit of the National Coordinator of POCACOV to Anambra State.
According to the Police, activities expected to precede the visit include town hall meetings, school outreach programmes, community engagements, media advocacy campaigns, youth mentorship initiatives and stakeholder dialogues designed to promote responsible citizenship, peaceful coexistence, respect for the rule of law and collective responsibility in crime prevention.
The Command further noted that effective policing goes beyond law enforcement, stressing that building public trust, strengthening partnerships with communities and encouraging residents to volunteer timely and credible information remain critical to tackling crime.
Reaffirming its commitment to community policing, the Anambra State Police Command assured that it would continue to sustain stakeholder-driven security initiatives through POCACOV and other proactive crime prevention programmes.
SP Ikenga said the Command also appealed to residents of the state to continue supporting the Police with useful information and active participation in efforts aimed at promoting peace, public safety and security across Anambra State.
