I Lose Appetite When Crime Is Committed—Kofi Boakye

Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kofi Boakye says police officers can effectively deliver on their core mandate if they become sufficiently outraged when crimes are committed.

He said whilst there logistical constraints, police officers, whom he said are doing well, can achieve results and establish peace, law and order in the society.

The Commander said the officers should first submit to discipline if they are to get the support of the public their crime combating efforts.

Mr. Kofi Boakye was speaking in an interview with Joy FM's Super Morning Show host, Kojo Yankson in his office in Kumasi which was aired on the programme Thursday, December 10, 2014.

According to him, he feels demoralised whenever a crime, particularly robbery, is committed within his jurisdiction.

“Personally, when there is robbery I can't eat; I lose appetite and my officers know this,” he told Kojo.

He said: “To be a policeman you must feel angry and scandalised [and] embarrassed when a crime happens”.

He observed, policing strategy in the Ashanti Region where has been for the past ten months varies from the two other Regions – Accra and Western- where he previously served in the same capacity, because it is “quite a traditional society”.

This is mainly because of the cosmopolitan nature of the area and the fact that its roads connect to several other regions in the country which also makes controlling crime “very problematic”.

However, he acknowledged the support he enjoys from the Regional Minister Samuel Sarpong and the King of Asante, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, saying it “has broken every chain of interference in the system”.

Despite being credited with a dramatic reduction in crime as well as the improved security in the region, DCOP Boakye said “I cannot say that everything is going on well now” because, “I am not happy with what I am seeing now”.

“We still have clear and present danger of armed robbery in the Ashanti Region…this place also has enabling environment for robbery,” he noted.

Police officer caught on tape demanding bribe from a driver. Meanwhile, DCOP Boakye has expressed contrasting views to a recent Afro-Barometer report released by think tank, Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) which listed the police service as the state institution perceived to be most corrupt.

According to him, corruption goes beyond financial inducements to cover factors that have much bigger implications than officers taking money from the public.

“How much [bribe] will they [police officers] collect on the road in one day and how much do [offenders of] white collar crimes collect? Are they talking about the frequency of collection, the interaction with people or the quantum?”

In his view, corruption lies “within that sentiments of gratitude and reciprocity so we shouldn't simplify it in terms of money collection”.

“We should look at reciprocity, the issues of nepotism [and] the issues of old-boysm and all these things which are a bigger issue than collecting bribes”.