Community Policing Unit

 A Proactive Model of Policing

In its quest to find ways to enhance collaboration and communication with local communities, the Ghana Police Service (GPS) established the Community Policing Unit (CPU) in June 2002. Community Policing is becoming the future for inclusive crime fighting and the CPU serves as the focal platform to develop strategies for the design and implementation of community policing throughout Ghana. By involving the community residents in policing, it imparts a sense of ownership, willingness and personal responsibility for the safety and security of their local communities. At the same time communities assist the police in their crime prevention measures through this two-sided exchange.

Vision

Safer communities through partnership with members of the community and all stakeholders which is in line with the police administration’s Transformation Programme.

Mission

To institute a professionally sensitive high-quality service delivery through community-based policing approaches and promote positive participation of the community in policing activities and decisions which affect their security. The goal is to reduce the fear of crime and disorder by carefully examining the characteristics of problems in the neighbourhood and then applying appropriate problem-solving remedies. To this end, CPU is mandated to advocate for closer working relations between the police and the public, while building public confidence and trust in the police service to provide maximum protection, safe, secure and peaceful communities.

Features of Community Policing 

Service Oriented

Community policing views beneficiaries of police services as an important partner without whom especially crime prevention is less successful.

Partnership

Local police works towards a positive relationship with members of the community.

Community Policing is a shared responsibility between the police and the community.

Problem-solving

A partnership between police and community makes it possible to identify the various crime problems. Members in the community live with these problems and they know the sources, causes and effects of these problem. Residents shall not to take the law into their own hands but provide information to the law enforcement agency. The police have the expertise and the mandate to act.

Local Commitment

By involving the local people in diverse means of solving their peculiar crime problems, they see themselves as contributing to their security needs and therefore are committed.

Community Policing in Practice

The CPU provides residents the opportunity to take part in law enforcement and crime prevention. Thus, residents see themselves as part of the decision-making process in dealing with the crime situation in their neighbourhood. Being part of the decision-making process makes community members own the process and remain committed to it. The following are activities undertaken under the umbrella of Community Policing:

Educational Talks at Schools

Educational talks in both public and private schools aim at bridging the communication barrier at the tender age. Topics include drug abuse, petty theft, alcoholism, kidnapping, rape, among others.

Neighbourhood Watch Committees

Neighbourhood watch is a crime prevention programme that enlists the active participation of residents in co-operation with the police to reduce the incidence and fear of crime in their communities. NWC is a voluntary community-based initiative to deal with crime situation in their geographical location. NWC is not a vigilante group hence their activities are monitored by the CP officers. The success of this idea hinges on the understanding that it is the people who live and work in a neighbourhood who understand their area’s resources, problems and needs.

Sensitisation Measures

To win the confidence and trust of the public, the CP officers undertake sensitisation and extensive educational campaigns on community policing concept, principles and application in the communities. During these campaigns, the team interact with community members to identify their security concerns and together with them, formulate solutions to the problems.

Community Policing Assistants

The CPU trains individuals to become Community Policing Assistants (CPA) to strengthen visibility and accessibility of security in the communities. The CPAs serve as liaisons between the police and the communities.

Community Fora

The CP officers hold public fora with community leaders i.e. Chiefs, Imams, Youth leaders, religious leaders, and Civil Society groups where open discussion on security is encouraged.

 

 

 

The Ghana Police Service intends to expand these measures to all regions in Ghana. Currently, these are being piloted in selected districts.