Police call for close relationship with Media

Ho, June 4, GNA - Mr. Emmanuel Bossman, Ansong, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) and Volta Regional Police Commander on Friday said the correlated responsibilities of the Media and the Police made it imperative for the two important institutions of state to establish, maintain and promote mutual grounds of cooperation. He was speaking at soiree organized by the Volta Regional Police Command for journalists in Ho on Friday.

Mr. Ansong observed that while the media sought to expose wrongdoing, the Police had the duty to apprehend and prosecute criminals.

He said, "more interesting is the fact that the Police and the journalist employ investigation as a major tool in the discharge of their duties."

Mr. Ansong who assumed command of the Volta Region barely a month ago, therefore, declared: "an organization that thrives on information cannot function efficiently without the active and conscious co-operation of the institution whose major duty is the gathering and dissemination of information."

He said the media had a crucial role in sensitising the public to support the fight against criminals whose activities and mode of committing crimes were now more sophisticated.

Mr. Ansong said the police in the region were working round the clock to reduce the crime wave in the region in particular and the country as a whole.

He assured Journalists that his office was open to them to crosscheck facts before going to press to "forestall the situation where some Journalists rush to publish information that may hinder investigation or demoralise Policemen or even damage the cordial relationship between us."

Issues raised during interactions were on roadblocks, exposure of informants and the role of the Police in checking smuggling in the country.

Mr. Mohammed N. Adams, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACOP) and outgoing Deputy Volta Regional Commander explained that many informants divulge what they intended telling the police to others long before getting to the police and later turn round to blame the police for giving them up.

On smuggling, Mr. Adams said the Police had wide responsibilities to ensure the laws of the land were complied with and also pre-empt any threat to peace.

The Police, he said, could therefore, request to verify if goods in transit were processed according to the laws and vehicles carrying those goods were not carrying other unspecified goods.

Mr. Adams said Police also looked for arms and ammunition which could be stashed somewhere amidst ostensibly custom goods. He said the road checks and snap checks were necessary to check criminal activities, especially highway and armed robbery. Mr. Joseph Ganyo, Superintendent of Police in- charge of Kpetoe District Police said there was no ambiguity of the laws on the fact that seized smuggled goods should be handed over to the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS).

Among those present at the soiree were Alhaji Hamidu Mahama, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACOP) and the new Deputy Volta Regional Police Commander, sectional heads at the command and district commanders.