DCOP Mr Francis Yiribaare, the Upper West Regional Police Commander, has underscored the importance of trust-building initiatives in strengthening public confidence in the police and sustaining peace and security.
He said sustained engagement with community members, coupled with regular police visibility patrols, intelligence gathering and conflict resolution, was essential to preventing crime and addressing tensions before they escalate into violence.
Mr Yiribaare said this in Wa during a community policing validation workshop organised by the Upper West Regional Police Command in partnership with the Coastal States Stability Mechanism (CSSM).
It followed the training of 90 police officers from the Wa West, Sissala West and Lambussie Districts in the Upper West Region earlier this year as part of efforts to enhance the relationship between the police and the civilians in maintaining peace and order.
Some beneficiaries of the community policing training and officers of the Ghana Immigration Service participated in the workshop to assess the impact of the initiative on the police’s operations in those districts.
Mr Yiribaare indicated that the Regional Police Command had embedded trust-building activities in its daily operations through what he described as “confidence and trust-building patrols”.
He said patrols in the region transcend the conventional deployment of officers to deter crime by incorporating deliberate engagements with motorists and community members to gather information on emerging security concerns.
“For us in the region, we see it (confidence and trust-building patrol) as a very crucial step towards sustaining the confidence we continue to enjoy from our clients, the communities”, he said.
He emphasised the need for police officers to communicate clearly to the public, act professionally and address misinformation that could undermine public confidence.
Mr Clifford Tampuori, the Upper West Regional Executive Secretary, National Peace Council, called for a coordinated approach to community policing in the region.
He recommended a regional coordination framework, improved public education and stronger collaboration among security agencies to enhance community safety.
Mr Tampuori said effective community policing required clearly defined institutional responsibilities, improved communication and accountability mechanisms, and participation of communities in identifying and addressing security concerns.
He indicated that the community policing coordination framework should establish clear referral pathways, communication arrangements and accountability requirements to guide implementation.
Ms Ekanem Bassey, the Head of Sub Office of CSSM, commended the Upper West Regional Police Command for demonstrating ownership of the community policing initiative and applying the skills acquired through the training in its routine operations.
She also praised the trained personnel for presenting evidence of their activities and the outcomes achieved in the three districts.
Ms Ekanem stressed that community policing was a continuous institutional responsibility rather than a one-off intervention.
She, therefore, urged the Police Service to sustain the approach through its operational plans and routine community engagements.