Developers must provide police posts - DCOP Mettle advises

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER of Police (DCOP), Mr. S.B. Mettle, has stated that estate developers in the country should make the effort to provide Police facilities in their planning schemes in order to help new communities and society at large to live in peace.

The provision of such facilities, Mr. Mettle asserted, should constitute part of the move towards the building of a partnership between the Police and all facets of the public to enhance the effectiveness of the Police.

DCOP Mettle, who is the Director-General of Technical Services at the Police Headquarters, was speaking during the handing over of a newly built Lakeside Community Police Station to the Ghana Police Service.

The one billion cedis Police station was constructed by Lakeside Estate Limited to serve its Lakeside community at Ashaley-Botwe, near Madina, Accra. It is sited on an area of 3,715 square metres and features the officer-in- charge's office, a charge office, CID office, station officer's office, male cell, female cell, exhibition store, an armoury and a five-unit toilet facility.

DCOP Mettle noted that strengthening the effectiveness of the Police Service was crucial to national development and quoted researcher Herman Goldstein who asserted that, “the strength of a democracy and the quality of life of the citizens are determined in large measure by the ability of the Police to discharge their functions.”

He noted that current trends in Police philosophy was for constructive efforts at reaching out to communities so that Police and the public would engage in perpetual dialogue aimed at finding lasting solutions to problems that confront the society.

“In the envisaged police-public partnership, some citizens might serve as “the eyes, ears, hearts of the Police by volunteering information” while others assisted the Police with physical facilities, DCOP Mettle stated.

He congratulated Lakeside Estate Limited for providing the Police station and said the gesture underlined the company's responsibility of ensuring that occupants of their estates and residents around lived in safety devoid of harassment and criminal acts.

The Managing Director of Lakeside Estate Limited, Col.. Felix Barrigah (rtd), said the sod for the project was cut in 2005 and that Lakeside Estate Limited had set itself a target of two years within which to complete the station.

He hoped other sponsors would use the remaining 3,454 square metres within the station's walled space to provide accommodation facilities for the Officer-in-charge and other ranks who would be serving at the station.

At the function were Lakeside Estate Executives including Dr. Kwame Gyamfi, Chairman; Mr. Salah Kalmoni, Director; Mr. Kahoul Nouredinne, Site Manager; Prince Joseph Ayiku, Finance Manager; and Mr. Lawrence de Souza, Marketing Manager.

Police Officers who were with DCOP Mettle included C/Supt. Mr. Sika-Nartey, Director (Works); C/Supt. Elizabeth Orlando, Madina Division Commander; and DSP Yaw Tetegah, Adenta District Commander.