Dr. Klaus Gruetjen, Hanns Seidel Foundation Regional Representative for West Africa, has charged police officers to establish good interpersonal relationship with citizens for effective crime fight.
He said having good relationship with citizens is key in maintaining security within the communities considering the threats Ghana currently face, especially in the northern regions.
“The police need the help of citizens in terms of information sharing to allow you to perform your services to the best, and the citizens also need you to protect them from crime,” he said, adding foundation considers the important role the Police Service and its personnel play in crime fight, and will continue to support them to succeed.
He made this known at the four-day training programme organised for 30 police officers as part of the police transformation programme of equipping participants with the requisite skills in enhancing police professionalism.
The event, being the ninth in series, is being organised by the Research, Planning and Transformation Directorate (RPRD) of the Ghana Police Service with funding from Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), a German political foundation, to promote governance and civic education.
Dr. Klaus Gruetjen indicated that, Hanns Seidal Foundation will continue to support the Police Service to provide security for citizens.
“Citizen-friendly police and community policing or elements which you have integrated into your transformational programmes are important reform process going on in Ghana, and this will make your service more professional according to the highest international standards,” he noted.
The Director General in charge of Research, Planning and Transformation Directorate (RPRD), DCOP Dr. Ernest Owusu, whose speech was read on his behalf by ACP Emmanuel Akunnor, said in recent times, the Ghana Police Service has come out with several interventions and strategies to enhance personnel potentials for effective service delivery, in order to restore and build public trust.
He said the training was designed to equip participants with the requisite skills to enhance personnel professionalism in order to undertake operations effectively, be most civil to the public in building better police-public relations, and to undertake easy sensitisation of colleagues with the ultimate goals of satisfying the four thematic goals of the police administration.
He urged personnel to put in their best considering the vision of the service and endeavour to get the full complement of the training within the slated four-day period.
Also present were ACP Cuthbert Aapengnuo, Deputy Director of the Police Professional Standards Bureau; Aridja Frank, Coordinator of Hanns Seidel Foundation; and ASP Adu of the Research, Planning and Transformation Directorate (RPRD).
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey