Book reviewer: Prof. Uwaoma Uche, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics, Gregory University, Uturu
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr Emmanuel Nwakanma is a sociologist, criminologist and Police officer. He Is an inventive writer whose prejudice for crime science has led him to seek for the understanding of the polemies of criminology,
Dr Nwakanma has a Doctorate degree in criminology from Abia State University, a Master of Science degree in criminology and Police science from University of Portharcourt and Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from Abia State University.
In 2010, he published his first book “The Nigeria Police and sociology of crime control”.
The Author who has also published many papers in local, international and institutional journals has also attended several professional courses both at home and abroad. He is happily married to an adorable wife Chinyere and has three children.
ABOUT THE BOOK
‘This book, “Contemporary Issues in Policing” is an academic attempt at resolving the ever-changing challenges confronting modern Policing.
It clearly draws the distinction between intelligence-led Policing and brute force. It adopts the scholarship approach as an effective methodology in dealing with the policing challenges of the modern era. The activities of Policing, especially in developing countries of the world are being interrupted by the activities of organized criminals who take advantage of ineffective governance mechanisms and the space they provide to perpetrate crime.
‘The work experience of the author coupled with the availability of copious materials on the challenges confronting modern Policing, no doubt, will become useful in establishing the nexus between the Police and the community.
Ths book further attempts to x-ray the benefits of modern Policing models in advancing Police efficiency. Some of these models include community Policing, neighborhood Policing and geographic Policing. A glance at this work will assist the reader in understanding the need for strategies that will attempt to restructure the operational framework of Police institutions in line with the modern crime challenges of today societies.
‘The main focus of this work Is to suggest a Police service that strives for legitimacy even in the face of apparent issues that confront the Police such as logistics, training, funding and manpower. As established in this work it is only when there is a synergy between the Police, other security agencies and the community that Police services will become more efficient and thorough in resolving contemporary issues in modern Policing.
INTRODUCTION
This work is apt as it is significant in enlightening the citizens on the nature of crime, providing a reliable compendium for knowledge In professionally responding to policing dynamics, keeping the police agency and allied securty operatives intellectually and professionally mobile in order to stay ahead of such criminal elements.
This is a masterpiece that encapsulates the challenges of policing in a critical time like this in our nations history when it has become the worst time to be a security personnel.
Dr. Emmanuel Nwakanma has Distinguished himself in spite of the torrent terrain of his occupational calling and as a man I can boldly refer to via this publication to have written his name in gold as an indispensable value-adding officer in the policing arithmetic of Nigeria.
This work is quite apt, revealing insightful and from the hallowed template of a distinct professional in policing and crime management.
It is an insider account from the template of a seasoned police officer juxtaposing traditional policing with modem and contemporary policing drawing from personal experience, defining the current policing requirements and projecting into the future of policing, considering the dynamics and ever-evolving strategies, models and tools in contemporary law enforcement
The thoughts captured in the book are very original and contemporaneous. As the author rightly puts it “This work is therefore a problem solving academic piece which has thematically, and in much depth, situated the gaing of technology and digital policing vis a-vis informal policing processes as sine qua non in maximizing potentials of modern policing”.
The 291 page work captured in 11 thematic chapter clusters succinctly handled the core concepts of policing variables that will challenge the fabrics of policing alongside the vagaries of the policing community that distorts this arrangement and proffer possible solutions.
In Chapter one the author discussed extensively the gamut of policing by tracing the evolution and metamorphosis of policing with the intent of maintaining conviviality and comprehensive community cohesion within social control. The concept of policing essentially as a civil organization of a state system that “keeps control of the whole process of ensuring thet laws are obeyed and that people and property are protected.
The historical origin of the police is brought to the fore tracing from the medieval England to ‘the Metropolitan Police known as the Peelian Modern Police, policing evolution of the Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Spain, Nigeria, South Africa etc, drawing a line between the traditional and modem policing, the operational style of policing which includes watchman style, legislative style and service style are discussed. The author treats policing as a functional service, as a science and as a business especially when in his words “the police are entrusted “with portant public reaources, the most obvious is money and the resources of the use of force and firearms,
Chapter one concludes by encapsulating the advantages and disadvantages of police discretion which if properly utilized becomes avenues for the police to access acceptance as an appreciation from the society and when Improperly executed could lead to unequal dispensation of justice to members of the public
In chapter two, the author attempts to draw a layout of the organizational structure of the Nigerian Police Force which Dr Emmanuel Nwakanma describes as “a British colonial construct bequeathed on Nigeria to serve the British colonial arrangement”. He went further to discuss the core mandate of the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Council.
Also decussed is the history and structure of the Nigerian Pallce Force In the pre-colonial era, the Igbo traditional Police system, the Yoruba traditional Pollce system, the Hausa traditional Police system including the police powers, specific limitations to police powers relating to the use of force and firearms.
He concludes by outlining certain considerations within the United Nations principles for the use of force and firearms by the police such as legality, necessity, proportionality, accountability and oversight functions on their conducts by certain government and non-governmental agencies such as Transparency Intemational, Intemational Committee of Red Cross, Legal Aid Council, Civil Society groups, and the three arms of govemment via the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary.
Chapter three x-rays and explores the activities and operations of some undercover institutions in the world in policing the society. The police undercover operations are central to the effectiveness of covert investigation across the security paraphernalia. This is because, the efficiency of criminal investigatlons is key to ensuring the legitimacy of police in their various beats
The core areas of the elements of undercover operations are brought to limelight including the challenges of undercover operations. Some prominent organizations in carrying out successful undercover operations across the globe were handled, They Include the Department of State Security Services(DSS), MOSSAD of Israel, Military Intelligence, Section 5 (MI5) of United Kingdom, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) United States of America.
Chapter four dissects the hydra-headed problem of terrorism, treating It as a weapon of the disgruntled, disillusioned and atomistic elements of the society. He did not just cite the conflict expressed by this criminal disposition rather, he posits the methods of de-radicalization, peace building and community engagements as effective counter terrorism measures. Terrorism, according to the author, has been decimated as a global crime igaue and crime issues are police probleme.
He traces the etymology of the word terrorism which is traceable to the Latin word “terror” which connotes alarm, panic, and terrible news. He took a swipe at designated terrorism groups across the globe in tracing their origins, region, area of operations and terrorist activities undertaken. He classified terrorism as National, Revolutionary and Reactionary which could be home grown terrorism and cross-border terrorism.
Key issues such as terrorism financing counter terrorlsm, non-kinetic policing approach, Boko Haram and the Nigerian Police counter terrorism response with tabulated records of this operations between 2009 ta 2014 are captured in this book. There is also report and information on Global Terrarism Index2022(GTI}. A very incisive, informative, current and intelligent report I must confess
In tune with the globalization of technological determinism and the new world Information Communication order, chapter five deals with digital pollcing as the new strategic template in handling quicker and dapendable crime Investigation.
It recommends digital policing as the most efficient strategy to solve crime problems using digital and information communication technology both in investigation and proactive Policing. Technological breakthroughs have effectively recorded significant progress in policing in such areas as transportation communicatian, regulations, administration and synergy among police institutions and formations, thereby turning policing across the word Into a global village.
It explores operational protocols for digital policing, pollce performance pyramid, Motivation pyramid and Vitality pyramids for optimal performance. The concept of criminal data base, crime scene investigation are also treated
Chapter six is specifically devoted to crime scene management In policing. The author proffers the need to adopt ethical protocols at crime scenes taking into cognizance the dangers posed to Investigations by contaminated crime scenes, it traced the components of crime scene Management, forensic evidence, primary crime scene, secondary crime scene and outdoor crime scene with full description of these crime scenes.
Chapter seven laid emphasis on internal security operstions and creation of Inter-agency cooperation. This involves the combination of both tactical and strategic process of a government to ensure that there it no breach of security within its national boundaries. It highlights the indices of global security threats to include insurgency, tribalism. human trafficking, drug trafficking, electoral fraud, electoral violence, unemployment,weak legal system, among others. The call for police-military cooperation at every stage of internal security operations is timely than the racent cantankerous Cold War and bad blood relationships currently witnessed,
In chapter eight, the author discueses policy excellence models as the legitimacy of every police service which makes policing directly respond to the need of the community. The policing excellence models include Neighbourhood policing, Community policing, Intelligence-led policing, Broken window policing, Signal Crimes, Geographic policing and Vigilante group policing.
Chapter nine brings out the role of International police organization aka Interpol and how its global strategies helps the police in the war against crime.
Chapter ten encapsulates the need for the police as a civil organization by creation to respect and quarantee the fundamental human rights principles of persons in society as it carries out its policing duties within the context of the constitutional provisions and extant laws. Some of these include but not limited to Right to Life, Right to Dignity of Human person, Right to personal liberty, Rights to Fair hearing, Right to Freedom of Expression of the Press, and Right to Freedom of Movement.
In Chapter eleven, Nwakanma discusses government pollcles that are aimed at restructuring and improving the criminal justice system. He emphasized the need to prioritize the provision of youth employment and entrepreneurial skills to solve the problem of people relapsing into crime and going back to prison repeatedly. He explains the tripartite components of the criminal justice system as the triune of the police, the courts and the correctional institutions otherwise referred to as the prison. He treats the theoretical framework of Recidivism using Social Learning Theory, Cultural Transmission Theory, and Strain Theory to handle crime in society as Recidivism has continued to pose serious threat to police dispensation of criminal justice.
Conclusion
From the cover of the book and the alluring elements elements of the aesthetic of color, visual, graphics and detailed illustrations in the content, this work can be simple described as a master piece served fresh from cerebral oven of a full master baker who has obtained the philosophical ethos of sociology, criminology, communicology and policology. It is an academic piece from an insider participant’s viewpoint which is a testament sent by a prince of the cradle of intellectual sanctum of isiala Ngwa South extraction to attest that fine officers with quality assured cerebral disposition and positive image laundering to transform and promote modern policing in Nigeria can find n Emmanuel Nwakanma as a shining example.
The language of the book written in flowery process is readable by both icons, the middle and the low class. However, endowed with technical innuendos which gives it the professional stint but the unambiguous mode of writing makes it easy for the un-initiated in security parlance to appreciate
it can clearly state that drawing from the content and context of this work written by Dr Emmanuel Nwakanma, the ADC to the Nigeria Goverrnor, a Security and Peace Supremo, Prof Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, part of the inspiration from this work contributed in giving credence to the serenity and sustainable peace enjoyed in Abia State which has been indexed ad the most peaceful state in Sub-, Saharan Africa.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This is a must-read to everyone who is interested In a peaceful serene environment where, through proper policing, citizens can go about their daily chores without loosing thelr Iives, property or encounter any harm
It is a scholarly compendum for all fields of studies in our schools, specially for those in Peace and Conflict Resolutions, Security, Criminology, Strategic Communication, Poley Studies, etc.
It is recommended to all Security and its anciliary Miltary and para-military formations, including tha Community Vigilante groups that seek a functional and paradigm shift from the traditional to the modern trends in policing and fighting crime
It is recommanded to government at levels. as a compass and navigator on security matters on a polarized and atomistic Nigerian clime perpetually at conflict with itself.
Therefore, I present to you the book CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN MODERN POLICING by Emmanuel Nwakanma PhO
Thank you for the audience.
