Dansoman, a suburb of Accra
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10th December, 2011
Dansoman Community Security Association Launched
To protect the lives and properties of people living in the Dansoman community, a suburb of Accra, the Dansoman Police in collaboration with the Dansoman community has launched the Dansoman Community Security Association in Accra.
The association which starts its operations next year with the recruitment of members is an initiative of the Community Policing Unit of the Ghana Police Service to bridge the communication gap existing between the police institution and the members of the communities it serves.
The partnership will help both parties to fight crime, provide security and safety for residents in their communities.
At the launch, the Dansoman Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul M.N. Awini disclosed that to demonstrate their commitment in partnering civil society, the police service is implementing a second five-year Strategic National Policing Plan (SNPP), using internationally accepted democratic policing principles and practices to deliver relevant services to all their stakeholders.
ACP Awini said the SNPP will not only outline their mission statements to guide the fulfillment of their strategic policing objectives but also give them determined strategies, progammes, and methodologies to overcome their constraints while protecting lives and properties.
He stated that their major focuses on implementing the national policing plan is to sustain the culture of using democratic policing principles and internationally best practices in ensuring the peace and security of all residents.
“To achieve this, we are entrenching public order management practices to reduce the overall crime rate to levels that will improve and eventually earn the people’s complete trust of the Ghana Police Service,” he said.
ACP Awini mentioned that the collaborated efforts have this year culminated in a relative reduction in crime rate within communities.
For the period of September, 2010, the police recorded a total number of 6,710 cases out of which 5,766 cased were reported. Crime therefore reduced by 944 representing 16.37% reduction.
“For the first three quarters in 2010, a total number of 22 armed robbery cases were recorded as against 15 for the same period this year. There has therefore been a reduction by 7 cases representing 46.67%,” he added.
He craved the indulgence of the community to show interest and consciously make the neighbourhood watch committees work.
The Director of Community Policing Unit, DCOP Mrs. Mina Ayim said the Community Policing Unit in 2008 initiated a pilot project to establish Community Policing Desk Officers (CPDOs) at the divisional, district and station levels.
She said these CPDOs which are to serve the representatives of the community policing unit and help coordinate all community policing activities in their respective jurisdictions have begun yielding fruits.
She therefore congratulated the Dansoman Division for their efforts and foresight in developing their relationship with the association.
The Member of Parliament for Ablekumah South, Mr. Fritz Baffour in a short address encouraged members of the community to assist the association.
“It is an investment for all citizens to invest in the stability of the nation. My doors are therefore opened to all to call on me anytime they need my help,” he said.
The chairman for the occasion, Brigadier General Francis A. Agyemfra (Rtd), a security consultant advised members of the community to be actively involved in the association.
“To succeed in winning the war against armed robbery and other social vices, it needs the active involvement of the citizenry in the fight against crime.
The forming of the association is to empower citizens to act on their own initiative in their communities in close coordination with the police to deter crime”, he stated.
The occasion was also used to raise funds for the association which saw prominent persons including the NPP Member of Parliament for Ablekumah South Ursula Owusu and organizations donating towards the association.
The association which starts its operations next year with the recruitment of members is an initiative of the Community Policing Unit of the Ghana Police Service to bridge the communication gap existing between the police institution and the members of the communities it serves.
The partnership will help both parties to fight crime, provide security and safety for residents in their communities.
At the launch, the Dansoman Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Paul M.N. Awini disclosed that to demonstrate their commitment in partnering civil society, the police service is implementing a second five-year Strategic National Policing Plan (SNPP), using internationally accepted democratic policing principles and practices to deliver relevant services to all their stakeholders.
ACP Awini said the SNPP will not only outline their mission statements to guide the fulfillment of their strategic policing objectives but also give them determined strategies, progammes, and methodologies to overcome their constraints while protecting lives and properties.
He stated that their major focuses on implementing the national policing plan is to sustain the culture of using democratic policing principles and internationally best practices in ensuring the peace and security of all residents.
“To achieve this, we are entrenching public order management practices to reduce the overall crime rate to levels that will improve and eventually earn the people’s complete trust of the Ghana Police Service,” he said.
ACP Awini mentioned that the collaborated efforts have this year culminated in a relative reduction in crime rate within communities.
For the period of September, 2010, the police recorded a total number of 6,710 cases out of which 5,766 cased were reported. Crime therefore reduced by 944 representing 16.37% reduction.
“For the first three quarters in 2010, a total number of 22 armed robbery cases were recorded as against 15 for the same period this year. There has therefore been a reduction by 7 cases representing 46.67%,” he added.
He craved the indulgence of the community to show interest and consciously make the neighbourhood watch committees work.
The Director of Community Policing Unit, DCOP Mrs. Mina Ayim said the Community Policing Unit in 2008 initiated a pilot project to establish Community Policing Desk Officers (CPDOs) at the divisional, district and station levels.
She said these CPDOs which are to serve the representatives of the community policing unit and help coordinate all community policing activities in their respective jurisdictions have begun yielding fruits.
She therefore congratulated the Dansoman Division for their efforts and foresight in developing their relationship with the association.
The Member of Parliament for Ablekumah South, Mr. Fritz Baffour in a short address encouraged members of the community to assist the association.
“It is an investment for all citizens to invest in the stability of the nation. My doors are therefore opened to all to call on me anytime they need my help,” he said.
The chairman for the occasion, Brigadier General Francis A. Agyemfra (Rtd), a security consultant advised members of the community to be actively involved in the association.
“To succeed in winning the war against armed robbery and other social vices, it needs the active involvement of the citizenry in the fight against crime.
The forming of the association is to empower citizens to act on their own initiative in their communities in close coordination with the police to deter crime”, he stated.
The occasion was also used to raise funds for the association which saw prominent persons including the NPP Member of Parliament for Ablekumah South Ursula Owusu and organizations donating towards the association.
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