The Commandant, Police Training School (PTS), Ikeja, Kayode Egbetokun, has charged newly certified 120 Supernumerary Police Officers (Spy) to be good ambassadors of the institution, respect the laws or face arrest.
Egbetokun, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) stated this at the graduation ceremony of the officers, who underwent six weeks of intensive drills designed and approved for the Supernumerary Police Officers by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), under Section 18(a) of the Police Act.
Egbetokun reminded the trainees that their uniform was a symbol of authority, adding “the warrant card you are carrying confers powers, privileges and immunities of a police officer on you.
“These powers, privileges and immunities are to be protected and must not be abused. The warrant card is not a licence to drive against traffic; it is a charge to protect the law. You are expected to reflect the discipline you have imbibed in this training both in and out of uniform.”
Reiterating that Spy Police Officers were not to bear arms, the Commandant said the graduands were not given arms drill, musketry or weapon handling trainings.
He said: “By law, the Spy Police Officers are recruited and trained for private organisations and public institutions who desire their services. They are by law, members of the Police Force but are not regular police officers.
“The training curriculum is rich in content and adequate to equip the trainees with the knowledge and skills needed to function effectively as Supernumerary Police in their respective organisations.
“A typical training day starts at 6am with physical exercise followed by unarmed combat or foot drill, after which trainees are moved to the classrooms for academic work before returning to the field. They usually have only 30 minutes break until 6pm when the training closes.
“They were taken through courses in professional police, legal, liberal and field studies. At the end of the trainings, an examination, drill test was set followed by the commandant’s interview.
“None of them was found wanting by the board of interviewers. They have been found worthy both in character and learning and have satisfied all requirements for appointment as Supernumerary Police Officers.”
On the achievements of the school since he assumed duty in 2015, Egbetokun said his team has been to raise the bar of professionalism, adding that his leadership has zero tolerance for corruption.
He said the school had organised refresher courses for at least 3,000 officers from Assistant Superintendent of Police to Constable ranks, who he said, had keyed into the Inspector-General of Police’ (IGP) “policing with integrity” vision.
“We have improved on infrastructure. We have improved oj standard and quality of training. We are turning put top quality products. We have inspired confidence and we rely on our integrity.
“The former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni engaged us in giving policemen in the command a special training in ethics and professional conducts with the objective of effecting a change in their attitudes and giving them a positive orientation in line with the vision of the IGP, Ibrahim Idris.
“We have handled this reorientation course with utmost commitment, passion and have recorded huge successes. Over 3,000 of them have been trained with emphasis on values of honesty and transparency, benevolence, expertise and effectiveness.
“The positive feedback we are getting on those that have attended this reorientation courses has been encouraging.”
