UWR: Police personnel schooled in Community Policing concept

To strengthen community policing in Ghana’s Northern regions, COGINTA Ghana, with funding support from the European Union, has organized a three-day training programme for select police officers in the Upper West Region.

The training aims to equip officers with the required skills necessary to understand and implement community policing concepts while fostering trust between the Ghana Police Service and civilians through an inclusive security approach.

This initiative forms part of the “PEACE PROTECT” in Ghana, which seeks to promote peace and stability in the five Northern border Regions.

Community policing is a philosophy and strategy where law enforcement collaborates with community groups and citizens to enhance safety and security by fostering partnerships, addressing issues proactively, and building trust. 

By empowering police officers with the skills and knowledge to engage effectively with their communities, COGINTA Ghana as part of building safer communities while promoting social justice, is contributing to the creation of a safer and more secure environment for all.

Rev. Dr Clement Aapengnuo, Country Director of COBGINTA, hinted that as a result of domestic violence coupled with violent extremism, community policing remains one of the best ways for the police to be able to gather more information, which can be processed into useful intelligence.

“The community policing strategy is basically a philosophy and also a strategy, that says that we cannot provide security for people without them”, Rev. Dr Aapengnuo added.

He stated that community policing strategy, since its inception, has not been widely circulated, hence the reason why the EU is supporting the training programme.

 

 

The Deputy Regional Commander of the Ghana Police Service, ACP. Dr Dinam Zoiku expressed optimism that the programme will boost their skills as the police is shifting away from the concept of being a reactionary force, as that doesn’t pay well due to its time-consuming nature.

“We have realised that the energy involved in doing all these things could be saved, if we focus on this new concept called community policing”, ACP Zoiku mentioned.

He added that the training given to the officers will foster a change in them regarding their profession.

On her part, Lance Corporal Enerstina Martey, an officer stationed at the Gwollu Police Station who benefited from the training while expressing gratitude to the organisers, assured that the training has impacted her policing life positively as it will help her build the bond between her and the community she serves.

 

The post UWR: Police personnel schooled in Community Policing concept first appeared on 3News.

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