The current Inspector General of Police would seem to be a man who would let his work do the talking, a characteristic his men and women of the Ghana Police Service have dubbed as ‘vision in motion’.
In various interviews with the Daily Searchlight, they said that his handling of the latest Christmas and New Year festivities demonstrate his operational sense as a leader.
Explaining, they said that the Christmas and New Year festivities were virtually accident-free, with very few casualties reported.
PEACEFUL CHRISTMAS
They said that ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the IGP met with interest groups such as traders, musicians and programs producers who would be hosting crowded programs.
“He frankly asked them to tell him what he can do to ensure that their activities are unhampered by criminals such as pickpockets and armed robbers. The IGP listened to them and did as they asked. In some cases, he sent men and women in plainclothes into markets to clamp down on pickpocketing, supplied enough personnel to dissuade armed robbers, and guarded entertainment events so that people can enjoy themselves in peace,” the police officials said.
“Police committed itself the security of artists, musicians and the like. We delivered on the security,” they said.
PATROLS AND VISIBILITY
“He is the first highest ranking officer to be engaging in night patrols with his men in some regions,” said astounded staff.
Apparently the Inspector General of Police, the relatively youthful George Akufo-Dampare, has been going on live patrols in operational vehicles, the same vehicles his men and women use, and this has not escaped them who are heaping praises on him.
“He wants to continue to experience at first hand, what his men and women experience when they go on patrols, so that he can do what is best for them,” they said.
They have also commended the IGP on the level of police visibility.
“If you have noticed, you are likely to meet a police officer at any traffic light or on most streets. This stops spurious, opportunistic crimes. And it is not by accident,” they said.
UNIFORMS
They said that the Inspector General of Police Dr. George Akuffo Dampare has also instituted a uniform policy where all police personnel over the country, on any day, wear the same styled uniform.
“We have the black short-sleeved for Mondays and Tuesdays, the black short-sleeved for Wednesday and Thursday, and wear the camouflage on Friday. Any officer seen deviating from this policy is likely to face consequences,” they said.
They also stated that for the very first time in the annals of policing in Ghana, the phenomenon of disheveled police officers have virtually come to an end.
“You will hardly see any police officer looking unkempt these days. We are encouraged to dress well, and he backs this policy up by ensuring that we are supplied with uniforms regularly,” they said.
BODY CAMERAS AND SURVEILANCE
They stated that the police, through the vision of the IGP, is also instituting the wearing of body cameras.
“Now, we use them only during demonstrations and crowded situations, to identify criminals who commit atrocities during highly tense situations. They are people who think they can escape crimes if they strike fast enough and run fast enough. Nowadays, we can catch such perpetrators because most likely you will be caught on a camera somewhere,” they stated.
NEW PAINT, EQUIPMENT AND SHINY ARCHITECTURE
They stated that the IGP has also been able to lead initiatives that has led to new equipment like motorbikes and vehicles for the police.
“You may have noticed that the police headquarters particularly and police installations generally are now freshly painted. You can actually see flowers and greens at police installations and mostly at Police HQ. These things are not by accident,” they said.
TRAINING
They said that the most impressive aspect of the new initiatives, is the on-going collaboration between the Ghana Police Service and other police departments with more advanced methods.
“If you have seen the police in New York City at work, then I can tell you that these days, we have been taking police officers to cities like New York to get trained. They also send personnel here to help with training,” they said.
“Now the Ghana Police Service uses psychologists and is increasingly adopting modern, scientific methods of policing,” they praised, saying that security can now be termed as one of the true achievements in Ghana these days.
