Police Notice Change in Armed Robbery Activities

The spate of armed robbery in the country seems to be testing the efficiency and capability of the Ghana Police Service. One recent incident is the raid at the Ernest Chemist and Miya Electrical which prompted Sergeant Kwaku Wuo, who was recently promoted for his tenacity and bravery for single-handedly exchanging fire with the robbers killing one and the other arrested.

This disturbing trend of armed robbery according to sources in the police service is a major headache to the entire police administration as it keeps them working over time to find an antidote to the situation. In response to the crime wave the police administration has started a series of patrols in the capital and some robbery-prone areas to apprehend any suspicious character.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Martin Amofa of the Police Night Patrol told The Accra Mail that the administration has indeed realised that armed robbers now operate in broad daylight instead of at night. He therefore called on forex bureau operators, communication centres and all other financial institutions to immediately alert the police when they suspect any unusual moves.

Amofa further urged them to make sure that their security personnel are always ready to to face any emergency situation.

In a related development, the police administration is to introduce a series of training programmes aimed at updating the knowledge base of police personnel on human and public relations. Speaking to Joy FM, an Accra radio station, ASP David Eklu, an officer of the Police Public Relations Directorate said Non Commissioned Officers at the various charge offices would soon be trained on how to relate better with people who call to lodge complaints. Asked if there could be any security threat to the life of the promoted Police Sgt. Kwaku Wuo for chasing a group of armed robbers, ASP Aklu answered in the negative.

"There are two major segments in the police - the uniformed branch and then the detectives: they do undercover investigations. But the uniformed branch are visible and do arrest in public. I do not think it was necessary exposing the policeman to danger. He is an asset to us and we are protecting him," he retorted.

He lauded the contribution of civil society in providing logistics to compliment the effort of the police thereby disagreeing with the notion that provision of logistics by civil society could undermine the efficiency of the Ghana Police Service.