Police urged to respect human rights

The Director General of Research, Planning and Transformation Directorate (RPTD) of the Ghana Police Service, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Dr Ernest Owusu, has urged police personnel to respect the rights of civilians, in the discharge of their duties.

He also asked them discharge their duties professionally and promote community engagement, to ensure public safety and security.

DCOP Dr Owusu made the call at the closing ceremony of a four-day training workshop, organized by the RPTD with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), a German political foundation, to promote governance and civic education, in Accra, last Friday.

The training brought together 30 police personnel, including five women, from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) Criminal Investigation Department and Legal and Prosecutions, across the country.

It was to equip participants with the requisite skills and knowledge in police-public management, human rights, to enhance professionalism and police-public relations.

DCOP Dr Owusu said:“in recent times, the Police Administration has come out with interventions and strategies to enhance personnel potential for effective service delivery in order to restore public trust.”

“The GPS was operating in four thematic areas thus restoring the public image, commanding public respect, regaining public confidence and cementing police legitimacy,” he noted.

DCOP Dr Owusu said since October 2021, 240police personnel have been trained in human rights issues and community engagement.

He urged the participants to impart the knowledge acquired to the colleagues.

The Regional Programme Coordinator of HSF, Ms Aridja Frank, called for effective collaboration between the police and civilians in crime prevention.

She said “If there is no collaboration between the law enforcement agencies and the citizenry, it would affect peace and stability in the country.”

The Director of Research of the GPS, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Emmanuel Akonnor, reiterated the call for police personnel to protect the image of the service.

He asked the participants to be agents of transformation in the discharge of their duties.

The topics discussed included police responsibilities and professionalism, critical roles of stakeholders in policing, integrity, attitudinal change, policing and the media, human rights in policing, community policing.

The others were neigbourhood watch formation and activities, counseling, stress and mental health, law enforcement supervision and code of conducts and ethics.

As part of the occasion, certificates were presented to participants.

BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI