Provide guns, other logistics for your men on duty – Security expert charges Police administration

Security Analyst, Adib Saani has advised the Ghana Police Service to develop a policy guideline that will improve the safety of Service personnel deployed to the various communities to carry out their duties, ABC News can report.

The security analyst is advocating for a system where police officers, irrespective of the duty being carried out, are permitted to have sidearms as a form of protection to ward off any danger.

His call comes a day after two policemen directing traffic on the Kasoa-Gomoa highway were shot dead at point-blank range by some suspected criminals.

The attackers, who were spotted in an unregistered vehicle, sped off after shooting the two officers, assigned to the Kasoa Motor Traffic and Transport Department.

Two persons suspected to be involved in the shooting of the policement at Aplaku near Kasoa in the Central Region have since been arrested, ABC News can confirm.

In a press release titled, “Police Lives Matter Too”, Adib Saani suggested in 7points, issues the Ghana Police Service should address to restore confidence including developing “of a well-defined policy to enable all Police Officers at post carry side-arms even if they are on traffic duties. Let us be mindful of the fact that Constable Daniel Owusu was shot dead on the N1 Highway in broad daylight on 13th July 2017 when he was on routine patrol duty.”

” Community policing should be enhanced to engender trust and restore confidence in the police. Community involvement through operational Community Police Forums and awareness campaigns should be encouraged. Responsible reporting by the Media is also key.”

“There is the need for legal reforms to define murder of an on-duty police officer as a crime against the State to serve as a deterrent to potential criminals.”

Despite the numerous assurances given by the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery and Acting Police IGP, James Oppong-Boanuh about the interventions put in place to safeguard the personnel and deepen public confidence, the Security analyst argues that the correlating improvement is not being felt.

“Inasmuch I welcome the recent assurance given to Officers by the Acting Inspector General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh, not to be deterred by the attacks on them and to discharge their duties of keeping the country safe, the police administration has consistently failed to address the fundamentals issues confronting the service hence, the rising casualty rate.

It goes without saying that, the nature of the work of Police Officers in arresting, investigating and giving evidence against suspected criminals, makes policing a high-risk venture. The constant likelihood of risk emanating from sources external to the Police is high and in many cases, largely beyond their control” he maintained.

Find below the full piece by Security Expert, Adib Saani