The Chief Director for the Ministry of the Interior, Mrs. Adelaide Anno-Kumi, has urged personnel of the Ghana Police Service to be professional in the discharge of their duties and gain public support for their service.
She said the role of the police in contemporary society is complex and multifaceted. She added that the most critical tasks of the service include public assistance, protection and law enforcement which must be executed professionally and reflected in their activities.
The Chief Director was speaking at a lecture at the 50th Cadet Course at the Ghana Police Academy in Accra on the topic ‘The Role of Police Officer and the Expectations of the Citizenry”.
Mrs. Anno-Kumi explained that the Ghana Police Service has evolved over the years from a Police Force handed over by colonial legacy to a Police Service and that in modern society, policing has advanced from physical presence to intelligence-led policing, making the role of the police complex, requiring patience, sacrifice and professionalism to the support of the public.
According to her, the citizenry expects a lot from the Police including protection of lives and properties. To achieve that, she said, there should be a cordial relationship between the Police and the citizenry to ensure that peace, safety and security is maintained.
She added that the citizenry relies on the Police to protect and serve whilst the Police, in turn, rely on the citizenry for support and cooperation. ‘Police must be fair and just in their dealings and ensure that the law is applied,’ she stated.
Touching on the responsibility of citizens, she said the citizenry has a major role in making the world a better place and added that ‘A responsible citizen is a change agent that acts out against injustice in social, economic, and environmental sectors’.
Mrs. Anno-Kumi, therefore, called on Ghanaians to be law-abiding, report crime and volunteer credible information to the Police. She appealed to the citizens to desist from interfering in Police investigations so that they can do their work well. The Chief Director also urged citizens to form watch dogs associations in their communities to assist the Police.
She assured the Ghana Police Service of Government’s continued assistance and urged the Cadet Officers to uphold the tenets of the Service as they prepare to graduate to serve the nation.
The Chief Director commended the Ghana Police Service for the various reforms geared at ensuring proper policing in the country for the safety of all.
