IGP Commends Tema Police

IGP inspecting a quarter guard The Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mrs Elizabeth Mills-Robertson has commended men and women of the Tema Regional Police Command for their roles in keeping crime level low within the Tema Metropolis and its environs.

Mrs Mills-Robertson noted that the tremendous achievements recorded last year in areas of crime prevention and control vis-a-vis internal security were as a result of preventive policing geared towards ensuring adequate internal security and reducing crime to tolerable levels.

The Acting IGP, who made these observations during a day's working visit to the Command, remarked that despite their successes, personnel of the Tema Regional Command must not rest on their oars especially when in recent times there had been an upsurge in armed robbery, car snatching and associated violent crimes in all parts of the country.

She further stated that all over the world, the tendency for increased criminal activities in commercial and industrial cities like Tema was high, reiterating that criminal activities threatened the stability, peace and security of any nation.

She added that there was the need to keep crime in check and minimize opportunities for criminal careers in the area.

“Crimes together with the spate of communal clashes and violence pose great challenges to the Service and it is imperative that we strategically, functionally, operationally and attitudinally position ourselves to meet these challenges.”

Continuing with her address to personnel at the function, the Acting IGP charged them to go back to the days when intelligence gathering was highly done by the Service. She stated that the practice has now been relegated to the background and it was indeed affecting the activities of the Service especially towards finding solution to crimes.

“It is important to note that intelligence-led policing is the latest trend in the world, as it makes it possible for the police to nip crimes in the bud, preventing them from occurring, and even if they do occur, it helps in easy investigation and detection,” Mrs Mills-Robertson noted.

She warned personnel of the Service who engage in nefarious activities to desist from doing so as their acts were drawing criticism for an organization put in place by society and given the powers and resources to protect it.

Further warning such officers, the Acting IGP stated that the Service has no place for miscreants, saying they would soon be flushed out and those found guilty would be made to face the full rigours of the law.

Mrs Mills-Roberson who is the first female to hold such a post in the Service urged personnel to improve community policing, and added that it was an essential element of crime prevention. She urged Commanders to seriously incorporate it into their duties and orientate their subordinates to embrace the concept.

The Acting IGP, before her address, inspected a quarter guard at the offices of the Tema Regional Command.

Earlier in his welcome address, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) John Kudalor, the Tema Regional Police Commander told the gathering that the Tema Township had become a hot area for robbers who have now moved to peripherals such as Dawenya, Lashibi and Iron City to continue with their bad acts.

Continuing, he remarked that the large area covered by the Command does not deter personnel from fighting crimes squarely, noting that the Tema Region was not limited to only the Tema Township as the name implies but stretches to Dodowa, Ada, Afienya, Ayikuma, Ashaiman, Kpone, Prampram and its environs.

In its quest to ensure that the areas under it are rid of crime, the Command has opened a post at Dawenya, and urged the public not to hesitate to give the police vital information on criminals.

He called for more logistics to strengthen the patrol duties and other police-related duties.

From Razak Mardorgyz Abubakar, Tema