Police-Public Relations

In recent times a number of policemen have been attacked in the course of their duties. Some lost their lives while others sustained injuries that could maim them.

Within a few days, more than three policemen met their untimely death in the course of their duties and others sustained injuries.

For instance, last week a man believed to be a lunatic went to a drinking bar with two sharp knives. The owners of the bar called the Nima Police for assistance to disarm him and in the process, the lunatic stabbed the innocent policeman to death.

Not only that; last Saturday a suspect who ran to the Kwahu Praso police station to seek refuge inflicted cutlass wounds on a policeman who tried to save him from a mob that wanted to lynch him.

There is a catalogue of those incidents, all of which cannot be recounted. One would have considered those incidents as professional hazards, but the policemen are also human beings. They have wives and children whom they cater for.

Also, a section of the public tends to treat the police as enemies. Whenever one policeman misbehaves the entire police administration is taken to task.

The police are called all kinds of derogatory names as though they are not part of the society.

We agree that a few policemen from time to time misbehave, but that does not mean all policemen misbehave all the time. The majority of police personnel are peace-makers, who ensure that peace prevails everywhere they are present.

The presence of even one policeman at a particular scene ensures peace.

Unfortunately the same people who want peace are the same who hate the police and at critical times, call in the police to enforce law and order.

The Police Administration must continue to advise its personnel to put up good behaviour wherever they find themselves, so that the public would consider them as friends, not enemies.

The time has come in the country's history when relations between the people and the police should be improved tremendously.

Similarly, the police must know that they are there to safeguard the welfare and interest of the people. One group cannot exist peacefully without the co-operation of the other.

With the troubles that the police are facing, with some of them losing their lives, it would be necessary for a general public education to be embarked on for people to change their attitude towards the police.

On the other hand, there must be some changes in the training syllabus at the Police Training College to instill human-feeling principles in police personnel.

DAILY GUIDE charges the public and the Police to turn a new leaf with regard to relations with one another, to ensure peaceful co-existence.