The Director-General of the National Patrols Department of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police Paul Manly Awini, has indicated the plan of the service to set up enhanced patrols in the country.
This, he said, is to help combat the age-old concerns surrounding community policing.
Speaking at an event in Accra to launch the Enhanced Visibility and Community Policing Strategy, COP Awini said that this initiative is expected to build on past experiences in the country and restore safety in some communities.
“Building on past community policing experiences in Ghana and best practices, this enhanced strategy, emphasizes the need for police to collaborate with the public to identify, prioritize and address their concerns. The strategy stresses the need for improved police visibility in neighbourhoods.
“In order to achieve this, community policing teams will be set up for day and night patrols of smaller defined areas within police districts to be known as zones. These community policing teams will develop quality relations and rapport with residents and build trust with communities.”
He added that the new strategy will address the prevailing issues of fear being experienced by some communities in the country.
“The Community Policing concept has made significant contributions to crime-fighting efforts in the country. Several policing initiatives were adopted in various communities to complement the traditional policing methods.
“To further enrich the concept and make it more effective, it has become necessary to increase police visibility in zones where the fear of crimes still exist and where crime and anti-social behaviour affect the daily lives of members of our communities,” he added.