POLICE TO LAUNCH A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN (Centre Pages)

May 18, 2010
Story: Mary Mensah
The Police Council will launch a five-year strategic policy in Accra tomorrow, May 19, 2010 aimed at improving the operations of the Ghana Police Service and turning it into a world-class organisation.
Dubbed: “The Strategic National Policing Plan,” it will be launched by the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, under the distinguished chairmanship of Professor Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State, at the Alisa Hotel, North Ridge in Accra.
The document is a holistic package that will improve all aspects of policing in the country and it is also envisaged that the implementation of the policy will call for retooling and provision of equipment for the service and housing for service personnel.
Another key area that the document may look at is how to partner civil society in general policing matters.
About 500 people are expected to be at the launch.
The Plan, 2010-2014 represents the second formal attempt by the Ghana Police Service to fulfil the combined specification of the strategic objectives, national policing targets and capacity building programmes and activities to be implemented over the medium term of five years and beyond to 2020.
It also seeks to fulfil the vision and mission of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Police Council, the directorate at the Police Headquarters, Regional, Divisional and District Commanders including all staff in the stations and posts of the service and will be implemented with the motto “ To Protect and Serve (Ghanaians) with Honour”.
The purpose of the plan is to enable the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to focus on democratic policing practices, as mandated by the constitution, in serving the communities and the people, first, by reviewing the prevailing socio-economic conditions, stakeholders’ expectations, other environmental factors, the strengths and weaknesses of the service and where the organisation is or fits now.
The need to set such formal direction and targets for the Ghana Police service in its strategic/ National Policing plan as to where the organisation wishes to go.
The specified direction of the plan commits the IGP, Director General, Directors and other service managers to be proactive, anticipate, recognise impending threats and, plan to seize the opportunities available to achieve their objective.
The National Policing plan seeks to institutionalise the culture of democratic, non-coercive policing methods to achieve policing objectives, targets, a and reporting practices, to tackle crime successfully from local to national levels and across borders.
The clearer direction of the Plan provides, “where we are all going, enables all officers to feel part of the team and process, to use their skills to make innovative and effective decisions and motivated staff to put in extra effort to move to the service ahead towards its mission fulfilment”..
It provides a basis for preparation of special purpose plans, like regional, divisional, district plans, financial business plans, human resource plans, equipment and materials procurement plans etc.
The plan finally provides key stakeholders, like the Police Council, Ministry of Interior, funding sources like Government of Ghana and Development.