The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) has urged the Commissioner of Police (COP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) to establish and apply himself to key performance indicators for the Ghana Police Service (GPS).
The Bureau said that would be crucial to justify the huge applause and almost flawless acceptance of his appointment.
A statement from the BPS and copied the Ghana News Agency in Accra congratulated Dr Dampare on his appointment to the Office of IGP.
It said the BPS had taken notice of the widespread enthusiasm and optimism within the realm of practice, and the huge expectations of Dr Dampare to deliver on his mandate.
The statement said the plethora of issues confronting policing in Ghana was a matter of public and academic knowledge and that Dr Dampare’s work was, therefore, cut out for him in the scheme of fallen standards in operations and professionalism, poor officer welfare, and inadequate police accountability to the citizenry.
The statement called on the Acting IGP to institute measures across the country to collect public safety and crime data and share the same with the public regularly.
Also, under his leadership, the GPS should work to determine the crime rate and crime clearance rates (especially for homicide cases) within the jurisdiction to enable a more objective assessment of the Police Service.
It also called for an active police involvement in ensuring public safety and engagement in community service in line with the tenets of democratic policing.
“While we appreciate the many years of George Akufo Dampare, Ph.D. professional experience at various levels and departments of the Service, we call on the public to be measured in its expectations of him.”
“We hold the truth that running an efficient and responsive police service in Ghana at a time like this requires more than an individual’s standing,” the statement said.
The statement called on the Executive, the Police Council, Parliament, and the rest of society to render their full support by allowing and providing him the needed independence and resources required to build a world class Police Service that was committed to the delivery of planned, democratic, protective and peaceful services.
It said the BPS looked forward to its continued partnership and collaboration with the Ghana Police Service under Dr. Dampare’s Administration.
