The Inclusion of Emotional Intelligence in Nigerian Police Recruits Training Programme: Agenda for Police Personnel Prosocial Development and Effective Policing
Keywords:
Police, Emotional Intelligence, Education, Training, Resentment, ViolenceAbstract
Nigerian Police officers face unique challenges in the regulation of anger,
resentment, and stress. These chronic emotional hazards tragically affect
the high rates of murder, extra-judicial killings, domestic violence, and
alcoholism among police officers. In addition to the obvious stresses and
risks of police work, a less visible burden on officers comes from the tension
between the opposite socialization of the paramilitary structure of the police
versus the demands of ordinary citizens. In dealing with citizens, the rules
of rank are far less clear. The result is mounting militarized resentment
and anger against citizens. However, with Emotional Intelligence training,
officers could learn to: understand and respectfully cope with the anger of
non-offending citizens, recognize the earliest and most subtle signs of
aggression in citizens, respond (not react) to the anger of suspects and
uncooperative citizens, while regulating their own anger for maximum
performance with minimum threat to lives. This paper therefore, examines
the impact emotional intelligence training in police recruits educational
training programmes could have on their professional development and
effective policing in Nigeria.
References
Alemika, E. E. O. (1993a). Criminology, Criminal Justice and the Philosophy of Policing.
In T. N. Tamuno, I. L. Bashir, E .E. O. Alemika and A. O. Akano (eds.) Policing
Nigeria: Past, Present and Future. Lagos: Malthouse Press Limited.
Alemika, E. E. O. (1993b). Colonialism, State and Policing in Nigeria. Crime, Law and
Social Change. Lagos: Malthouse Press Limited. 20, 189-219.
Alemika, E. O. and Chukwuma C. I. (2000). Police-community violence in Nigeria. Lagos:
Malthouse Press Limited.
Aremu, A. O. (2005). A Confluence of Credentialing, Career Experience, Self-Efficacy. An
Unpublished Manuscript.
Aremu, A. O. (2006). Impact of some Demographic Variables on Job Satisfaction of Women
Police in Ibadan, Nigeria: An Unpublished Manuscript.
Aremu, A. O. (2009). Understanding Nigeria Police: Lessons from Psychological Research.
Aremu, A. O. and Tejumola, T. O. (2008). Assessment of Emotional Intelligence among
Nigerian Police: Journal of Social Science, 16 (3): 221-226.
Brief, A. P. and Motowidlo, D. W. (1986). Prosocial organisational behaviours. Academy of
Management Review, 10, 710-725.
Burns, P. F. and Thomas M. O. (2005). Repairing the Divide: An Investigation of Community
Policing and Citizen Attitudes Toward the Police by Race and Ethnicity. Journal of
Ethnicity in Criminal Justice 3(1/2): 71-85
Chernis, C. and Goleman, D. (2001). The Emotionally Intelligent Workplace. San Fransisco:
Jossey Bass.
Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999). Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.
Lagos: Government Press
Daniel Goleman (1995). Working with Emotional Intelligence. San Fransisco: Jossey Bass.
Donna Ricca (2003). Emotional Intelligence, Negative Mood Regulation Expectancies, and
Professional Burnout among Police Officers. Ph.D. dissertation submitted to the
Rutgers University.
Ehindero, S. (2006, July 23). State of the nation. Sunday Vanguard, p. 12.
Engel, R. S. (2001). Supervisory styles of patrol sergeants and lieutenants. ... Law enforcement
in a time of community policing. Criminology, 33.
Fabio Sala (2005). Do Programs Designed to Increase Emotional Intelligence at WorkWork? www.eiconsortium.org,
Girodo, M. (1998). Machiavellian, bureaucratic, and transformational leadership styles in
police managers: Preliminary findings of interpersonal traits. Perceptions and Motor
Skills, 86, 419-427.
Mayer J. Caruso D. and Casey D. Cobb (2000). Educational Policy on Emotional
Intelligence: Does It Make Sense? Educational Psychology Review. 12, 2000.
Mayer J. Caruso D. and Salovey P. (2000). Emotional Intelligence Meets Traditional
Standards for an Intelligence. Educational Psychology Review 12.
Keyamo, F. (2006, July 23). Understanding I.G.'s frustration. Sunday Sun, p. 4.
Margaret Chapman and Robin Clarke (2001). Emotional Intelligence Is a Concept That
Can Be Used in Stress Management: A Response to Slaski. Stress News.
Mayer, J. D. and Salovey, P. (1993). The intelligence of emotional intelligence. Intelligence,
(4), 433-443.
Mayer, J. and Salovey, P. (1997). What is emotional inteligence? In P. Solovey and D.
Sluyter (Eds.), Emotional Development and Emotional Intelligence, 3-31. New
York: Basic Books.
Nwozor, N. (2005, May 24). Balogun faces new charges of graft, theft. New Age, 1- 4.
Okusanya, I. O. (2006, July 24). Police: A cult. The Punch, p. 17.
Topp, B. and Kardish, C. (1986). Personality, achievement and attrition: Validation in a
multiple jurisdiction police academy. Journal of Police Science and Administration,
, 234-258.
