Western North Regional Police Command trains Journalists on crime reporting

The Western North Regional Police command has organized a day's training on crime reporting and crime scenes management for Media practitioners in the Region ahead of the 2020 general elections.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Ernest Mensah Kirk Akrasi, the Deputy Regional Police Commander, said the programme was to equip journalists to enable them to perform their duties professionally, before, during and after the December polls.

He asked journalists to collaborate with the security agencies in the fight against crime.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Mr Solomon Aidoo, Wiawso Divisional Crime Officer, took participants through the dos and don'ts of crime scene management.

He asked the journalists to avoid crime scenes in the discharge of their duties as tampering of the scene could make investigations difficult for the police.

ASP Aidoo indicated that the police were structured and journalists must know who to ask for clarification at any particular point in time.

He said the police identified 295 hotspots in the Region and had in place measures to ensure an incident-free process before, during and after the elections.

He mentioned Aboduam, Bibiani old, Wiawso Post Office, Humigebre, and Dansokrom Dwenase market Oseikojokrom as some of the hotspots.

Others are Patakro, Nkatieso, Afere, Amoaya, Boako, Bonsu-Nkwanta, Kwasuo, and Suaino, among others as some of the hotspots.

ASP Mrs Juliana Forson, MTTD Commander, who also took participants through the dos and don'ts of road crashes management, tasked journalists in the Region to help educate the public to reduce road accidents in the area.

Mr Stephen Kwayie, a retired broadcaster with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation on his part, asked media practitioners to abide by the GJA code of ethics and ensure professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

Mr Godwin Ocley, the Western North Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, said the Commission had increased the number of officials at each polling station from five to six to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

He said it was the Commission’s sole mandate to declare election results and asked the Media to avoid doing so.

Mr Ocley asked journalists to be professional in the discharge of their duties at the polling and collation centres to ensure free and fair elections.