The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has authorized the Anambra State Police Command to conduct professional training for local security outfits operating within the state.This initiative is designed to enhance security effectiveness and foster improved collaboration between these community-based groups and the Nigeria Police Force.The approval was disclosed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Anambra State, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Saturday.Ikenga stated that the move is part of a reformation process to align the practices of state security outfits with modern security protocols. He emphasized that effective policing requires a synergistic relationship with these local groups to achieve significant success in the state’s security network.“These officers are local, so they have quality information to offer the police,” Ikenga said. “Besides, they have rich knowledge of their people and know the terrain much better than the police, so there is a need to train them for greater results.”The PPRO highlighted the critical need to overcome the “conspiracy of silence,” where citizens withhold vital information from the police due to fear. Training the local security personnel, he explained, would equip them to champion the “See Something, Say Something” mantra within their communities, thereby strengthening neighborhood watch efforts.Ikenga also connected the training to preparations for the upcoming November 8th gubernatorial election in the state. He noted that providing basic security training to local officers would help minimize challenges and altercations with the public.He further explained that instilling basic guidelines—such as proper public conduct and the application of instinctive intelligence—is fundamental to maintaining security balance. The absence of these key skills, he warned, can lead to preventable conflicts that may escalate into unlawful acts.The PPRO stressed the importance of orientation on social behavior and respect for human rights to prevent the encroachment on public rights, noting that a lack thereof could trigger public unrest and hamper effective policing.