Community Policing Unit calls for professional policing

The Community Policing Unit (CPU) of the Ghana Police Service has reiterated the call on personnel to desist from exhibiting unprofessional conducts to enable them win public confidence.

Chief Superintendent Mohammed Suraji, In-coming Director of the CPU, who made the call, said such unprofessional behaviours had led to the public having more confidence in the Military than the Police.

C/Supt Suraji made the call on Wednesday during a day’s sensitisation programme on community policing for nine chief inspectors and inspectors, as well as 31 junior officers, drawn from the Prampram and Kpone Districts of the Greater Accra Region.

He said some of these conduct included use of brute force in arresting people and lack of civility to members of the community, culminating in unnecessary delays in attending to complaints.

Others, he stated, were allegations of corruption in granting of bails and in the course of checking motor traffic offences.

C/Supt Suraji also mentioned exaggeration of evidence by some personnel in court, and over-reaction during demonstrations and chieftaincy disputes.

He indicated that due to these conducts, the public feel reluctant to give to the Police credible, timely and adequate information on suspicious characters and criminals.

The CPU in-coming Director, therefore, advised the personnel to treat the public with respect in order to build trust.

He said currently, the Police-Public ratio in Ghana is one Police officer to 1,042 people, compared to the United Nations’ recommendation of one officer to 500 people.

C/Supt Suraji, therefore, stressed the importance of Community Policing, since that is the only way to bridge the gap.

He appealed to District Commanders to encourage the formation of neighbourhood watchdog committees, to augment the efforts of the Police in combating crime in the communities.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Freeman Tettey, Public Relations Officer for the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit entreated officers to desist from assaulting their spouses, and shirking their family responsibilities.

He said it is important that the law enforcers served as role models to civilians by obeying the laws of Ghana.

DSP Abraham Apusuyini, Kpone District Commander, thanked the CPU for considering the district in the sensitisation programmes, and called on the personnel to put into practice what they have been taught.**