The Member of Parliament for Wa West Constituency and former police officer, Peter Toobu, says the police needs to review its intelligence-gathering processes to tackle recent crimes in the country, especially in Accra.
He has also charged the police administration to take a second look at its recruitment and exit procedures for persons desirous of joining and retiring from the Ghana Police Service.
According to the legislator who serves on the Interior and Defence Committee of parliament, robbery incidents involving police personnel can be traced to how officers are recruited.
His concerns follow the arrest of two police officers allegedly involved in recent bullion van robberies.
The legislator said deploying cameras across the city to gather information on activities and persons behind crimes will also go a long way to address the issue.
“For a city like Accra, I’m sure if we consult the banks, we will be able to build a smart city where everything will be on a camera such that whatever you do, people are watching you. Times are changing, the criminals are also changing their modus operandi, and security officers must be trained and develop better strategies to outwit them. Policing is all about intelligence,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service says it would not shield its men who are found culpable of breaking the law.
In an interview with Citi News, the Director-General in charge of Police Public Affairs, DCOP Kwesi Ofori said thorough investigations have begun into the crimes.
“The police administration will not protect anyone who does wrong in the service. We have got two of our own and investigations are ongoing seriously. At the appropriate time, we will come out clearly with the information. The public should see this as a plan of policing ourselves and dealing with our own in such unfortunate situations. We will ensure that we will carry the spirit and aspirations in terms of protection and better security.”
Two police officers have been accused of being complicit in four recent bullion van attacks recorded in the Greater Accra Region.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service on Monday, March 7, 2022.