Police urged to build better relationship with public
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Dr Ernest Owusu, the Director-General of Research, Planning and Transformation Directorate (RPRD), of the Ghana Police Service, has urged police personnel to carry out their duties in a civil manner to build better relationship with the public.
He said, “Be most civil to the public in building better police-public relations, and to ensure easy sensitisation of colleagues with the ultimate goal of satisfying the four thematic goals of the police administration, namely resorting to public trust, commanding public respect, regaining public confidence and cementing police legitimacy”.
DCOP Dr Owusu gave the advice in a speech read on his behalf by the Director of RPRD, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Emmanuel Akunnor, at a four-day training programme for 30 police personnel, in Accra, yesterday.
It seeks to educate participants on requisite skills in enhancing police professionalism.
The programme, organised by the RPRD with support from Hans Seidel Foundation (HSF), a German political foundation, to promote governance and civic education, brought together participants from all police units across the country.
DCOP Dr Owusu said the Ghana Police Service has come out with several interventions and strategies to enhance personnel potentials for effective service delivery in order to restore and build public trust.
He urged personnel to put in their best, and endeavour to acquire skills and knowledge to enhance their work.
A regional representative of HSF for West Africa, Dr Klaus Gruetjen, asked the police to establish good interpersonal relationship with citizens for effective crime prevention.
He said such partnership was crucial in ensuring security within the communities.
“The police need the help of citizens in terms of information sharing to allow you to perform your services to the best, and the citizens also need you to protect them from crime,” Dr Gruetjen said.
He commended the personnel of the Service for their dedication to duty and assured them of the HSF’s continuous support to help them fufil their mandate.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI