Police restoring public trust, confidence - IGP

The Ghana Police Service has started another leg of a transformational journey to revamp its image in order to restore the trust and confidence of the public.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, said the service was taking the route, cognisant of the need to restore all missing links to effective police-community collaborations.

The IGP, during a two day visit to the Volta Region, said this called for strengthened stakeholder engagements and a renewed realisation of their designation as servants, rather than lords to communities.

"Because of our actions and inactions, we have weakened the relationship between good people in the society and the police to the level that they (good people) are not comfortable to disown the bad ones in society, and it works against both of us," he said.

Stakeholder engagements

Dr Dampare’s visit was to create a platform for various stakeholder engagements to assess at first hand challenges and opportunities that existed at the community level and to also discuss avenues for formidable collaborations for efficient service delivery outcomes.

The visit was to also create an opportunity for him to interact with service personnel serving in the region to take stock of their performance and fashion out innovative strategies for better policing.

The IGP, during a courtesy call on chiefs of the Asogli Traditional Area in Ho last Friday, said the move was critical to proactive and preventive policing.

"We don't want to have situations where policing becomes reactive, waiting for something to happen before we step in.

We want to have a proactive, preventive policing environment where good people in the community work with the police," he said.

Renewed confidence

Avafiaga of Ho, Togbe Adzi Lakle Howusu XII, on behalf of the Paramount Chief of the Asogli State, Togbe Afede XIV, commended the IGP for his efforts since taking over the reins of leadership of the service, adding that the IGP’s delivery so far was in line with the expectations of the populace.

He expressed confidence in him and indicated the readiness of the people in the area to collaborate with the police, while charging the personnel of the service to offer their support to the IGP for him to succeed.

The IGP’s tour of the Volta Region took him to Battor, Sogakope, Akatsi, Dabala, Anloga, Keta, Aflao, Dzodze, Kpetoe and Ho where he interacted with service personnel, traditional authorities and opinion leaders, with further visits to Abutia, Anyirawase, Hlefi, Dzolokpuita, Golokwati, Hohoe, Kpando, Alavanyo and

Have scheduled to conclude his tour of the region.