Tema, Feb. 16, GNA – The public must provide information about criminals and their activities to the police to aid crime prevention, detection, apprehension and prosecution of offenders, the Tema Regional Police Command, said.
Superintendent Kwabena Otuo Acheampong, Regional Crime Officer, Tema Regional Police Command, said community members were the “eyes, ears and noses of the police” as they always lived with the criminals.
He also urged stakeholders such as business and corporate bodies, media, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the judicial system to collaborate with police for crime prevention.
Supt. Otuo Acheampong said at a seminar organized by the Ghana News Agency for state and non-state actors to address national issues.
The event also served as a motivational mechanism to recognize the editorial contribution of reporters towards national development.
Addressing issues of security in the Tema Region, Supt. Otuo Acheampong stressed the need for building partnerships between the Police and the Public to effectively combat crime in society.
He also appealed to the media to set aside airtime and space for discussions on security issues on regular basis free of charge and commended the Ghana News Agency for creating a platform for the exchange of security ideas.
He urged the NCCE to intensify public education on the laws, the various offences that are punishable by law as well as duties and obligations as patriotic citizens and their rights as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.
In the interest of justice, Rule of Law, Accountability and public interest, the courts must also expedite action on cases before them as “justice delayed is justice denied.”
He also admonished the public not to see the police in a bad light, the institution of the police is sacred, even though there were some bad individuals among them.
“But the police stand for respect for human rights, we stand for service excellence, we stand for integrity, and we can achieve all these when there is a partnership between the police and the public,” he added.
GNA