BY MIKE OSAROGIAGBON
Edo State’s first female Commissioner of Police (CP) Betty Enekpen-Otimenyin, who assumed duty in Benin City, the state capital today has vowed to tackle crime and police misconduct.
CP Betty Enekpen-Otimenyin who arrived at the State Police Command Headquarters at 9:41 a.m. was welcomed by a guard mounted in her honor.
Thereafter, the 49th and first female CP in the State was escorted to her office by senior officers in the command.
In a brief impromptu chat with journalists in her office, CP Betty Enekpen-Otimenyin shared her immediate priorities, stating that: “Well, we are trying to do a lot of things, first we will make sure that the crime level comes down.
“We will also look at extortion, the IG (Inspector-general general of police), is strongly against it…, we are also going to look at sex-based violence, violence against women and children, we are going to work on laws that have to do with protection of women and the Child Right Act.”
On the disturbing cases of some police personnel engaging in random phones searches on the road for extortion, the CP Betty Enekpen-Otimenyin stated: “Well, the IG has said that you do not need to search phones but if there are cases that relate to checking information, that will not be stopped, but not random searches.”
Earlier, CP Betty Enekpen-Otimenyin told journalists that her police career began in 1992.
“I started my career in Bauchi state, from there to Plateau where I work in various division as DPO before I was moved to Edo state where I also worked in about 10 division as DPD, Oba Market, Textile Mill Road, Okhoro and host of others.
“I also worked in the (Edo) State Command as O/C Conflict Resolution, and I have special interest in cases that have to do with gender-based violence that has to do with children.
“I also worked as an Assistant Commissioner in Kebbi State and Port Authority as AC Administration. I worked as Area Commander in Rivers, Imo as Assistant Police Commissioner before I was promoted to Deputy Police Commissioner and moved to Zone 5, Headquarters, Benin, in charge of administration.
“Upon promotion to CP, I was transferred to Force Intelligence Department, Force Headquarter, Abuja, from Abuja I was transferred to Edo State as Commissioner of Police.
CP Betty took over from Umaru Peter Ozigi who retired last Saturday after a distinguished service tenure.
