Tema police appeal to residents of Ayikuma, Dodowa
The Tema Regional Police Command has appealed to residents of Dodowa and Ayikuma and their surrounding communities to partner the police to deal with the menace of land guards.
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The command said the activities of land guards in those areas were not only a nuisance but also fast becoming a security challenge to the police and law abiding citizens.
The Tema Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mrs Beatrice Zakpaa Vib-Sanziri, made the appeal during the inauguration of a new police station at Ayikuma.
The new structure replaces an old police station which was burnt down some years ago.
Land guards
Mrs Vib-Sanziri observed that land guards and their financiers were becoming more daring by the day and needed to be weeded out completely.
She sounded a word of caution to some chiefs, landowners and estate developers who engaged those land guards instead of resorting to the law courts, that they would be severely dealt with by the police according to the law and that no amount of intimidation would stop the law enforcement agencies from carrying out their work.
"Some bad lots within the Ghana Police Service who also shield or aid these land guards and their financiers will also be dealt with when caught in any unprofessional behaviour," she said.
Strategies
Mrs Vib-Sanziri said the Tema Police Command had put in place strategies to reduce the incidence of crime and the activities of land guards and violent criminals.
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Some of the measures, she said, included increased day and night patrols, snap checks, swoops, more police visibility within the communities and working closely with community leaders and neighbourhood watch committees.
"These measures have yielded positive results, leading to a significant reduction in criminal activities within the region. Our dealings with the public highlight the need for a change in attitude on the part of the police towards members of the public to earn not only their support and respect but also build confidence in the police in their efforts to fight crime," she said.
Public/private partnership
She commended organisations such as Forever Estates, Castle Gate Estates and the Dodowa District Assembly that were instrumental in the reconstruction of the Ayikuma Police Station and also appealed to them to support the police with the needed logistics such as computers and other office equipment.
Mrs Vib-Sanziri advised police offices to avoid unprofessional acts such as unlawful arrest and over detention of suspects, poor management of remand prisoners, excessive use of force and meddling in civil cases to avoid nasty confrontations with the members of the community.
Writer's email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh