Betty Otimenyin on Monday assumed duty as the first female commissioner of police in Edo State.

Ms Otimenyin arrived at the police headquarters in Edo, some minutes before 10 a.m., where she inspected the guard mounted in her honour.

Senior officers received the commissioner of police, the 49th to be deployed to the state.

Ms Otimenyin replaced Umoru Ozigi, who retired from the service on Saturday after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60.

In a short interview with reporters, the police chief, who also hailed from Edo, said she would do a lot to reduce the crime rate in the state.

“I will do a lot of things until the crime level comes down.

“We will also look at extortion (among the men and officers) of the command. The Inspector-General of Police frowns at it,” she said.

According to her, the command will be tougher on violence against women and children.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ms Otimenyin enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as a Cadet Assistant of Police (ASP) in 1992.

Before her redeployment to Edo, she had served in various commands, including Force Intelligence Department, as commissioner of police, administration.