FIGHTING CRIME, A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

THE responsibilities of the police are extremely broad. But their major role, in most jurisdictions, is to maintain law and order.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is happy that this important function is not lost on the Ghana Police Service and that the service is bent on enforcing it to the letter.
Indeed, in a no-holds-barred encounter with the Editorial Board of the Daily Graphic at the offices of the company in Accra on Tuesday, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Patrick Acheampong, and his top brass minced no words in assuring the populace of their determination to conduct their policing duties flawlessly.
With particular reference to this year’s elections, which are only five months away, we are happy to hear the IGP state categorically that the Police Administration has put in place regional and national task forces to minimise any breaches of the law before, during and after the elections.
Furthermore, he expressed strong optimism that the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections would be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, adding, “We have beefed up security in conflict areas through the provision of equipment and vehicles to forestall any possible disturbances during the electioneering.”
Another important subject the IGP touched on was the readiness of the police to tackle the increasing reports of violent crime and the drug trade which has dented the image of the country in international circles.
But we cannot agree more with him that “without a national policy or legislation that will compel estate developers and city planners to provide for police stations at all new settlements, existing police facilities will continue to be stretched thin in the fight against crime in all its manifestations”.
The police are generally held in high regard by the population they serve. However, this can vary from country to country, depending on people’s past experiences with the police or the general national perception.
We wish, therefore, to remind our men and women of the Ghana Police Service that discipline, dedication and determination are the ingredients they need for success. They must also display a high level of integrity at all times to win the confidence of the people.
No society can exist without law and order — it is just not possible. And that is why we must do everything to promote good policing in order not to destroy the very fabric of our society.
Certainly, we would need mutual collaboration between the police and the civilian population to ensure the stability of the nation.
It is a sad commentary that efforts to build strong police-public relations to combat crime are not yielding the desired results.
Generally, it is an open secret that suspected criminals live among the people, and yet the communities refuse to expose them to the security agencies. We rather shield them and in some cases accord them the pride of place because they have, through fraudulent means, attained fame.
Modern policing is a shared responsibility and the DAILY GRAPHIC calls on society to support the police to flush out criminals from our midst, for, together we swim or sink.