Police Restrategize Its Communication Strategy

The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has developed a work plan to improve both internal and external communication to enrich its strategy and resolve communication issues as part of an on-going transformation agenda.

The Ghana Police Transformation Agenda is to reflect international best practices of professionalism, fight against corruption and promote respect for human rights and democracy.

This came up at a day's workshop organised by the Public Affairs Directorate of the Ghana Police Service with support from the Accountability, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (ARAP), to beef up the service's communication strategy.

The workshop was used to validate a three year communication and public education strategy, developed for implementation by the GPS.

A statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of the GPS and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the workshop was attended by 30 Police Officers, representing the various departments of the Service, including Police Training Schools, Criminal Investigation Department, and Community Policing Unit.

It said other participants were from the Police Professional and Standards Bureau (PPSB) and communication specialists attached to the ARAP.

The workshop, according to the statement, was used to analyse the key aspects of the communication strategy for effective communication and public education by the GPS.

'The workshop identified the varying communication needs within various units of the Service, and outlined achievable strategies to enhance communication and professionalism,' the statement noted.

It said the participants also recognized the critical role of social media as a tool for effective Police engagement.

In addition, realistic work plans to improve both internal and external communication were developed to enrich the Communication Strategy, aimed among others, to resolve communication issues, which are critical in the on-going Ghana Police Transformation Agenda to reflect international best practices of professionalism, fight against corruption and promote respect for human rights and democracy.

The statement quoted Assistant Commander of Police (ACP) David Eklu, the Director - General of Police Public Affairs Directorate as saying, 'the strategy would add up to teaching in the training schools.

He said it would help in teaching of reputation management and communication skill at all Police training Schools and in-service training programmes, as an integral part of Police operations.

ACP Eklu said it would enable the service to effectively communicate with external publics and strategic stakeholders in promoting good democratic policing practices.

He indicated that a police media relations policy had also been developed and would soon be finalised, as part of the police service instructions.

It said Mr Riccardo D'Emidio, a communication expert from ARAP took participants through mechanisms to improve internal and external communications of the service.

The statement added that, Imma Zamora, the Team Leader of ARAP, said the important role communication and public education played in enhancing accountability and adherence to the rule of law was significant.

He gave the assurance that ARAP would continue to support critical units of the Ghana Police Service to make the police transformation agenda achievable.