THE Kumasi Zongo District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nicholas Opare-Ofosuhene, has called for stronger partnership between the Zongo community and the police in the fight against armed robbery and related crimes.
He said support from the Zongo community, even though had improved, was still not the best to combat the crime wave.
He, therefore, urged the Zongo chiefs to get their people to understand the benefits of effective police-community relations so that “together we can bring down the crime rate.”
ASP Opare-Ofosuhene, who was speaking at a meeting with the Zongo community at Ayigya, a suburb of Kumasi, said the police needed information on criminals to enable them (police) to act appropriately.
The meeting was to discuss the crime situation in the area and how to address it.
ASP Opare-Ofosuhene gave the assurance that informants would never be exposed.
The District Commander said to ensure that people gave out information on criminals, the police administration had instituted a reward scheme for informants whose information would lead to the arrest of armed robbers.
He told the gathering that “you live in a community and you know yourselves. If any of you is a criminal you should know him”.
ASP Opare-Ofosuhene also advised the people to watch out for strangers with questionable character and report them to the police.
He said his outfit was moving to strengthen community watch volunteer groups because they constituted an important component in the fight against crime.
The district commander urged the people to endeavour to support the activities of the volunteers so that they could do their work with all seriousness.
He asked the community to reject people with criminal records from serving on the volunteer groups.
The volunteers should also not make “astronomical demands” on members of the community because the work is voluntary.
The Zongo Chief of Ayigya, Alhaji Mohammed Bashir, described the meeting as one of the best things to happen to the community because it focused on an issue which was of great concern not only to them but the entire nation.
He said the government was doing its best to maintain peace in the country, and that it called for support from the people.
Alhaji Bashir called on the government to equip the police to enable them to fully discharge their constitutional obligations.
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