‘We Will Face Criminals ’-DCOP Kofi Boakye
The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, Nathan Kofi Boakye has warned that the police service is poised to face criminals boot for boot during this yuletide.
He cautioned armed robbers who will be operating during Christmas to look out for the police as they will not give them the luxury of killing and hurting innocent people.
‘This is to send a clear message to the criminals that we are ready, able and capable of protecting people and that this Christmas whatever happens is Motamu and no bagawa,’ he warned.
Leading hundreds of policemen in a street march in Kumasi dubbed ‘Operation Show Forces’, he said the police will ensure that people and goods are protected.
‘We have already been working at Kejetia, we have lots of Criminal Investigations Department (CID) men around Kejetia and on the Terminals to ensure that there will be no pick –pocketing,’ he said.
He promised that they will ensure that people who will travel from far and near trade without any fear.
‘We have full volunteers at the Terminals. In the unlikely event of highway robbery incident, we will rush to the bush and look for the robbers by any means necessary’.
The exercise he explained is also to motivate police men and to conscientise them on the task ahead.
‘This is an initiative from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) from the Police Headquarters, but this is in tune with our policy to ensure peace and order during the yuletide. And this one is to motivate the police men and to conscientise them to know that there is something ahead of us which is not normal,’ he said.
He assured the public to celebrate the Christmas with joy, saying the police will guide them.
‘It’s a Christmas festivities and people will come from the hinterland to trade, and it is our responsibility and constitutional duty to make sure that everybody comes to enjoy without any hindrance. Apart from that is also to encourage the public that the police are available and able to help them to live in comfort,’ he said.
DCOP Boakye disclosed that the police will intensify its routine search of vehicles to fish out passengers traveling with unapproved materials.
‘Stop and search is our normal exercise but it’s going to be intensified this Christmas but it’s not going to inconvenience motorists, and road users,’ he stated.
