Police Service launches transformational programme

The Ghana Police Service yesterday launched a transformational programme designed to build a world-class Police Service capable of dealing with traditional and emerging crimes.

The programme thrives on five key thematic areas - welfare and professional development of officers, community policing, criminal investigation, monitoring and international affairs, and information and communication technology (ICT).

Prioritisation of those thematic areas falls in line with the government’s 13-point strategic objectives aimed at empowering the Ghana Police Service to deliver on its mandate.

At the core of the transformation programme is the use of modern technology to deliver up-to-speed security services in line with the United Nation’s (UN’s) policing standards.

Innovation

At the event, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr David Asante-Apeatu, said given the increasing complexities in crimes across the globe, the transformational programme for the Ghana Police Service was hinged on technology and the use of modern protective equipment.

“The Police Administration is taking unwavering steps to build a robust policing system that will not only be the best in Africa but also one of the best in the world.

“We are on a mission to ensure excellent policing to change the perception of the public about the Ghana Police Service,” he stressed.

Mr Asante-Apeatu further said the Police Administration had advanced collaborations with the Ministry of Transport and other stakeholders to enforce road traffic laws to bring sanity on the roads.

Investment

The Minister of Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, in his speech said pragmatic steps were being taken by the government to address the staffing challenge in the Ghana Police Service.

“The welfare of police officers is key to the transformation agenda being rolled out by the government, so efforts are being made by the government and other private partnerships to give the Police decent accommodation.

“As you may be aware, this year we are recruiting 2,000 police officers as a beginning of a holistic recruitment regime to beef up the Ghana Police Service,” he added.

He said the government had advanced plans to acquire protective equipment and logistics for the Police to better position them to fight crime and urged all stakeholders, including traditional authorities, local government authorities and the private sector to join the police to fight crime by giving out relevant information to the police.

Diligence

The Chairman of the Council of State and Omanhene of Asante Juaben in the Ashanti Region, Nana Otuo Siriboe II, said the transformation agenda in the Ghana Police Service required meticulousness and diligence to be accomplished.