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The number includes 1,200 personnel from the Operational Headquarters, who are being dispatched to various commands nationwide to beef up enforcement.

In addition, 18,000 other personnel would be performing traditional police duties, which are indirectly related to the duties for the festive period.

This is to ensure relative peace and security for all citizens before, during and beyond the festive period.

The police outlined that increased activities present several security concerns, including robberies on highways, streets and residential areas; burglaries, theft, fraud and pick-pocketing by criminally-minded persons; traffic congestion; increased drink-driving and other road traffic infractions leading to accidents; public disturbances, including petty quarrels and assaults; unlawful use of banned fire crackers that cause fear and panic and also injuries; and the possession, use and trafficking in narcotic drugs as illegal activities associated with the festive season.

Briefing the media in Accra, Commissioner of Police (COP) Dr George Akuffo Dampare, Director-General of Operations of Ghana Police Service, warned criminals to reform or be arrested at the places they live, operate and distribute their spoils.

“Our empirical criminological study reveals that criminals live at one place, operate at another place and dispose off their booties at a third place. We consider the places they live and dispose off their booties as criminal dens, and as we police the areas they operate proactively, we are also aggressively pursuing them at their dens. They, therefore, will have no place to hide”.

He pledged that the police would ensure the prevention and detection of crimes, protection of lives and property, management of traffic, maintenance of public order and ensuring the welfare of the Police Personnel.

According to him, police are deepening their presence on the roads, in various forms, some of which cannot be disclosed, in the fight against highway patrol and crime fighting policing.

Anti-land-guard and related activity policing
COP Dampare stated that in recent times, the police have been very aggressive in combating the menace of land-guard activities, and would do more during this period and beyond.

“It must, however, be emphasised that the situation creating the land-guard activities goes beyond policing. As we, the police, continue to tackle the policing aspects of the issue with all our might (as evident in recent times), we respectfully wish to urge other stakeholders to do their part in our quest to uproot the menace from the society,” he added.

Vital installation policing
According to him, all vital installations are being protected to ensure that they are not vandalised either deliberately or otherwise by any individual or group of people.

Residential area policing
He stated that the police would intensify residential area policing during the festive period and beyond, so that citizens can have sound sleep and re-energise their bodies and get the best out of this life.

Traffic management policing
In recognition of the traffic which has started building up in Accra ahead of the festive, he said, personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) across the country have been instructed to go the extra mile to manage the traffic situation.

In addition, he said, operational personnel are being deployed to support the MTTD personnel within the major cities, as well as entry and exit points of these cities.

Commercial, street and entertainment centres policing
COP Dampare noted that the police are increasing their presence both in overt and covert ways at the commercial centres, such as shopping malls, lorry stations, traditional market places; entertainment venues, including the beaches; and on crime-prone streets to deter and arrest suspicious characters who are out there to disturb law-abiding citizens.

Community engagement policing
He stated that the police are engaging community members at all levels during patrols, as well as use of ICT and social media platforms, to give them security tips and use them as sources of intelligence gathering for their operations.

Media engagement policing
He commended the media for helping the police to reach the public in a number of ways – letting the public know what the police are doing, and bringing their concerns, including constructive criticisms to the attention of the police for redress, saying “we would also count on the public for useful information which may lead to the arrest of criminals”.

Special event, including religious events, policing
The Director-General of Police Operations said special events, including religious events, policing would be done in a professional and aggressive way to give assurance to all the participants in a particular event and the public in general that they are protected, and to send the right signal to the criminals.

Expected outcomes
“As we undertake these policing services, it is our expectation that at the end of the day when we work with the public and other stakeholders, including the media, to assess our performance, we would have delivered and met the expectations of the great people of this country.

“Specifically, we would have managed traffic well; we would have kept all citizens relatively safe from criminal activities, including arresting criminals who might escape our proactive preventive policing net; we would have made great progress in the fight against land-guard activities with regard to the policing aspects; we would have been very professional in our dealings; and we would have deepened our relationship with our stakeholders, particularly the public and the media,” he said.

How success will be measured
COP Dampare outlined the criteria for success to include the need for the police to work on themselves to become more professional, as enshrined in the vision of the service, which is to become a world-class police service capable of delivering planned, democratic, protective and peaceful services up to the standard of international best practice.

In addition, he said the police need the support, co-operation and assertiveness of the public and the media in particular and other stakeholders in general since it has been said time and again that security is a shared responsibility.