Police need public support to fulfill mandate

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Yaw Barimah has observed that recent crimes in the country were becoming sophisticated and the country seems to be overwhelmed by crime.

He said the country therefore, needed a sophisticated police service that could assure the people of their safety and explained that, such a type of police service would need the support and confidence of the public to be able to fulfill its mandate.

Mr Yaw Barimah was speaking at the First Public Hearing on Improving Police and Public Relations organized by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative(CHRI) at Koforidua on Tuesday.

He said the police could do their ultimate best only if they could get the support and confidence of the public and assured the public of the readiness of the Regional Security Committee to take up all issues raised by the people at the forum.

The Eastern Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Felix Asare Darko said as enforcers of the law, the police were seen as the trusted embodiment of the law meant to protect the innocent , locate the guilty and to promote the means and ends of justice.

He said in the bid of the police to perform their duties, they have often been accused by the public of abusing the powers that enabled them to carry out their functions due to ignorance and an uncooperative attitudes of the public and also the lack of appreciation for the difficult circumstances under which the police worked.

The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Agyei Boateng observed that the challenges that comes up in the promotion of police good public relations were a general reflection of the behaviour of the Ghanaian.

He called on the police to put up measures to eradicate their poor public image and appealed to the public to support the police with confidential information to enable them to honour their obligation to society.

The Second Secretary of the British High Commission, Mr. Chris Brealey said the focus of the British Government support for the Ghana Police Service was in capacity building and it was the aim of the British Government to see the Ghana Police Service develop to be a model for other parts of Africa , particularly West Africa.

Ms Mina Mensah of the CHRI explained that the primary purpose of the project was to assist in the development of a responsive and accountable police service in the country.

Source: GNA