Context
It's
hard to be a police officer anywhere in the world, and I would add, frustrating
to be one in Nigeria. With inadequate equipment and poor condition of service,
officers grumble openly about their plight and are quick to project their anger
and frustration on the hapless citizens. And tackling armed robbery, armed
banditry and other forms of violent crimes in the country, often comes at a
grim cost: the death of officers in uniform. The nation shrugs it off as one of
those "unfortunate" incidents and moves on, but it's a complete loss
and tragedy for their loved ones. And the gory tales, of their families and
dependents, of apparent abandonment by the concerned authorities and dismal compensation,
echo the misery of life being nasty, brutish and short for an ordinary officer.
Contrary
to standard procedure, officers are not usually provided necessary debriefing,
including a psychological evaluation, after engaging in operations that result
in fatalities, including the loss of their colleagues in action. The prevailing
culture sees it as a sign of weakness to ask for help regarding any
psychological disturbances or mental health issues. Everyone is expected to
"man up" and move on. Of course, some officers tend "man up."
with alcohol, drugs and other behaviours that put them and the general populace
at risk. There are police protocols, including handling of traumatic events, in
line with standard practices. In Nigeria, these should not only exist in the
text but also, more importantly, is implemented and appraised. Appropriate
briefing and debriefing sessions following police operations should be a
standard procedure, and availability of adequate mental health assessment and
support is imperative.
Forensic Toxicology
It is
not uncommon to see police officers, especially those in the select units like
the now disbanded SARS, with bloodshot eyes and breath that is retching with
alcohol. It is a piece of common knowledge that officers abuse alcohol and
other drugs, even while on duty and in the open! It is easy, and justifiable
so, to focus on such odious and unprofessional acts, because the cost of
miscalculation or impaired judgment on the part of a law officer is tragic. However,
the brutality unleashed on citizens by the police may not be unconnected with
their state of mind and impaired capacity to make a sound decision in the various
circumstances.
Is
there an alcohol and drug testing protocol in the Nigeria Police, including pre-recruitment
and random in-service testing? No. My interaction with police officers
indicates such functional protocol does not exist. There is no robust
government forensic toxicology testing in the country, even to support routine
forensic death investigation and clinical forensic caseloads, in the course of
the police investigation. It is not a piece of evidence that will survive any
challenge to say those police officers appear drunk while at work. There must
be a system in place to document and check abuse of alcohol and drugs by
officers of the law, who are meant to uphold law and order. Evidence is required—forensic
toxicology beckons.
Action
The
police operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs is both a red flag and
a red line. Therefore, the process of accountability needs to dive deeper into
all the existing police procedures and apply necessary measures. And it must also include sufficient emphasis
on the officers and their overall state of health, be it physical, mental and
social.
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