Takoradi, Nov 02 – The Western Regional Police Command has organised a day’s training on crime reporting and crime scene management for journalists in the region ahead of the 2020 elections.
The training was to equip journalists to perform their duties professionally, before, during and after the December polls.
It was also to provide participants with an insight on the operations of the police to do proper and professional reportage on crime scenes and other operations.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ms Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Command who took participants through the mandate of the service said the Police service was mandated to maintain Law and Order, to protect life and Property, to prevent crime and to detect crime.
She said the vision of the service was to become a world-class police service, capable of delivering planned, democratic, protective and peaceful services up to the standards of international best practices.
Chief Superintendent Richard Appiah, Western Regional Motor Transport and Traffic Division (MTTD) Commander who also took participants through the dos and don’ts of road crashes management encouraged participants to help educate the public to reduce road accidents in the region.
“All of us must conduct ourselves in such a way that no person is killed or injured, no property are damaged and no one is impeded on our roads”, he pointed out.
He therefore stressed the need to inculcate skills, competences and positive attitudes of driving to avoid road crashes.
Chief Superintendent Ebenezer Boryor, Western Regional Crime Officer took participants through the dos and don’ts of crime scene management and urged participants to collaborate with the security agencies in the fight against crime.
He asked journalists to avoid crime scenes in the discharge of their duties as tampering with crime scenes could make investigations difficult for the police and may put the Journalists in trouble.
Chief Superintendent Ibrahim Sulley, Western Regional Operations Commander gave what the journalists should know about special police operations and the safety of journalists and advised journalists to consider their safety first before the stories.
He called on them to avoid acts could incite violence and that if they encounter any problem with the police they should report promptly to the appropriate unit for redress.
Chief Superintendent Sulley implored journalists to desist from interfering with the work of the police or security officers and Polling Officials during the election process.
“It is better for journalists to cover assignments in their familiar terrain. They can easily be identified as known journalists by the police or security officers and the civilians involved in the operation. It would help if you know the nearest police stations within the area”, he advised.
Mr Moses Dotse Aklorbortu, Western Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) urged participants to abide by the GJA Code of Ethics and ensure professionalism in the discharge of their duties.
Mr Justice Ennin, Western Regional Director of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) said the Electoral Commission (EC) was mandated to declare election results and charged journalists to avoid doing so.
He also called on them to exhibit professionalism in the discharge of their duties at the Polling and Collation Centres to ensure free and fair elections.
GNA