Rawlings addresses retired police officers

President Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday acknowledged constraints the Police Service faces in the discharge of its functions and praised its contribution to the maintenance of law and order. He said despite immense difficulties, the police has rendered valuable service to the country and also won international recognition for professionalism shown in United Nations peacekeeping duties.

Addressing a meeting of the National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO) at the Police Headquarters, President Rawlings said the government has done its best to improve police equipment, logistic support and accommodation.

He said most of the recommendations of the Archer Commission have been accepted and ''I assure you that they will be steadily implemented in order to improve morale and efficiency''.

President Rawlings said without support from the public the police would find it difficult to solve some of the crimes in the society and mentioned the killing of women as an example.

''These obscene acts are being perpetrated by people who live among us. They have neighbours. They come and go under the eyes of the communities in which they live''.

He said someone must have relevant and specific information, which can help the police, but so far they are not coming forward.

President Rawlings told the retired officers, ''you have the time and the expertise to rally the support of chiefs, opinion leaders and others in the area where you live in order to unearth the information which can lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of these monstrous crimes''.

He said although they are in retirement, they have the responsibility to bring their expertise and experience to bear on the nation.

The President spoke about alleged irregularities during the December 7 election and appealed to the retired officers to ensure that such incidents are minimised during the presidential run-off on December 28.

Mr. C.K. Dewornu, a retired Inspector-General of Police and president of the association, said the killing of women in Accra is a matter that is of serious concern to members of the association. He said nothing can be so humiliating and embarrassing to any police service, no matter where such a force is in the world, than dealing with serial killings with no clear motives established and no information or clues or identity of the killers.

''The process of investigation and detection of this type of crime can be agonisingly slow and frustrating to police authorities. This can justifiably arouse the anger and impatience of both the government and the tax payer''.

Mr. Dewornu, also a Council of State member, appealed to the government to equip the police with the necessary logistics to enable it move out of the present state of ''retroactive policing into the proactive policing''.

He appealed to the government to reactivate the Volunteer Police Reserve. This corps of dedicated civilians if revived, Mr Dewornu went on, could strengthen police hands especially in communities where police are thin or non-existent on the ground.

Mr. Dewornu suggested that the neighbourhood watchdog concept, introduced in the 1980s, must be given official boost and recognition.