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GHANA POL I C E S E R V I C E Service with integrity The Ghana Police Service, established by a 1970 Act of Parliament, replaced the erstwhile Ghana Police Force. This reflected a new emphasis on serving society rather than forcefully maintaining the political, economic and societal status quo. The Ghana Police Service’s constitutional mandate is to maintain law and order, protect lives and property, prevent and detect crime, and apprehend and prosecute offenders. The vision of the Service is to be a worldclass police service capable of delivering planned democratic, proactive and peaceful services up to the standards of international best practice. Over the years the Service has discharged its mandate with a commendable degree of success, but to meet the contemporary policing needs of society, the present Police Administration has adopted a paradigm shift in policy direction. It is a move from reactive to proactive policing that focuses on crime prevention and is entrenched in the relevant statutes and regulations. Central to this new approach is the establishment of the Patrol Division, which now serves as the flagship programme of a wider reform agenda for the Service. The patrol strategy is serving as a proactive deterrent to crime and is supported by the re-invigorated Community Policing Unit, which partners with communities to provide security. Also, the strategic consolidation of the hitherto multiple and overlapping paramilitary units in the Service into a functional whole, and the decentralisation of police operations, CID and the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit, are enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of policing services. The Marine Police Unit has been revived to protect the budding oil and gas industry and the Formed Police Unit (FPU) has been established. The FPU was central in ensuring public order during the 2012 elections dispute in court, and also in managing demonstrations and civil unrest. The effectiveness of the paradigm shift in the strategic approach of the Service is reflected in a lowering of the rate of vehicle accidents in urban areas; a diminished rate of petty theft; a general drop in the rate of carjacking; and improved police response time to distress calls. There is a sound training regime in place supported by the establishment of the Ghana Police Command and Staff College, and the Police Public Safety Training School as well as the re-activation of the Detective Training School. All this has been made possible with the support of Government, injecting logistical support including vehicles and communication equipment into the Service. The Ghana Police Service has undergone profound change, which has given the general public cause to laud the Service. www.police.gov.gh Increased visibility in communities has reduced the fear of crime among lawabiding citizens and, along with the introduction of the Public Confidence Re-affirmation Programme, is also re-kindling the trust and confidence of the public in the Police. Heading the Ghana Police Service is the Inspector-General of the Police, Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan


CEP template 2012
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