14,200 Cops deployed for Xmas

Emelia Enin Abbey Dec - 08 - 2017 , 08:42 3 minutes read

Fourteen thousand two hundred police personnel have been deployed nationwide to perform operational duties and beef up security towards the Christmas and New Year festivities.

Additionally, 18,000 personnel have been assigned to perform traditional police duties to enhance security during the festive period and beyond.

At the launch of this year's national policing strategies for Christmas and the New Year, popularly known as Police Father Christmas Operations, in Accra on Wednesday, the Director-General of Police Operations, Commissioner of Police (COP) Dr George A. Dampare, said the measures had been taken because there were usually security concerns during such period.

“The increased activities during this period present several security concerns, including robberies on our highways, theft, fraud, burglaries, traffic congestion, increased drink driving and other road traffic infractions leading to accidents and public disturbances,” he said.

Strategies

To maintain law and order, he said, the Police Administration had taken steps to deepen policing services in 10 focal areas, including traffic management, highway patrol and crime fighting; commercial, street and entertainment policing.

Other areas were criminal dens, residential areas, policing of vital installations, anti-land guarding and related activities and community and media engagements, he said.

The Director-General of Operations said in the area of traffic management, personnel from the Police Operation Unit would be deployed to support personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) in the major cities to manage traffic.

The MTTD personnel, he said, had been urged to go the extra mile to manage the traffic situation to ensure the free movement of people.

Highway patrol and crime fighting, he added, would also be intensified, while commercial centres, such as shopping malls, lorry stations and entertainment venues would also have increased police presence to deter and arrest suspicious characters.

Dr Dampare sent a signal to criminals to stay away from special events and religious programmes which would be organised during the festive occasion, as the police would be present in both uniform and plain clothes to protect those who would attend such events.

Additionally, he said, residential areas and vital installations would be patrolled, while the police would engage residents of communities through the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and on social media platforms to give security tips.

To combat and uproot land guard activities, he stated that the police would go all out to deal with criminals harassing landowners and potential landowners.

“We are coming for you criminals and your cohorts, land guards and your financiers. There will be no hiding place for you and so the earlier you repent, the better,” he said.

Cooperation

Dr Dampare also called on individuals to cooperate with the police by providing them with relevant information to facilitate the arrest and prosecution of criminals.

He urged all police personnel to be disciplined, committed and professional in executing their duties.

“Assessing performance will be based on how well citizens are kept safe from criminal activities, professionalism in our dealings, making progress in the fight against land-guard activities, as well as deepening our relationship with all stakeholders,” he said.