The impunity with which armed robbers are disrespecting the badge of the Ghana Police Service is becoming alarming.
Since the attack, several years ago by armed robbers, on the Kwabenya police station in which several cell mates were freed, the message to us that they cannot be stopped by our policemen and women appear to have been reinforced in the Takoradi Girls saga and other chilling activities that armed robbers have since been involved in.
From the daylight robbery act in Kumasi, through the Osu RE forex bureau shooting to the Jamestown incident, in which a policeman was shot dead, the recurring message appears to be that they can overrun the institution to get what they want anytime.
Motivation
The lunatic fringe must have a reason for attacking persons and businesses and even policemen and women in urban areas and populous neighbourhoods like Osu RE or Jamestown.
We must, however, ask ourselves why they hardly attempt that nonsense in Teshie or La. The police themselves know that these two communities can smell armed robbers and deal with them in the same manner that the police would. It is because they believe that social stability is key to economic prosperity and fulfilment.
This is a basic and important lesson on crime prevention that should spur us against not being afraid of our skin in the face of these attacks.
Neighbourhood watch
The last time the Ghana Police Service mooted the idea of neighbourhood watch committees, as a measure for reducing the incidence of armed robbery attacks, they were hailed – except that structures and systems for living out those ideas were left hanging.
Additionally, issues about police support and cooperation as well as training programmes for volunteers were not institutionalised as far as timelines were concerned.
But that is essentially the generalised view about dealing with the scourge.
Terrain
It is important we do not forget that aside of the Jamestown or Osu RE and Kumasi incidents, we have bandit operations along highways into the Central, Bono East, Ahafo, Northern and Savannah as well as Upper East regions, which need another approach than what can be managed in Teshie or La.
That is why, as part of its machinery for taking the fight to the armed robbers or bandits, our Police Service ought to draw separate strategies for separate terrains in involving the youth in the fight to depopulate this lunatic fringe.
Solidarity
As citizens, we may understand it if ordinary, defenceless citizens are attacked and robbed in their homes or shops. However, for the armed robbers to move a step further to attack armed policemen and women means we cannot ever be safe, unless we openly confront the practice.
It is our fervent opinion that, together with the Police Service, the local government agencies must begin to initiate programmes that will make crime in our communities unpalatable, even including pilferage of mobile phones or bag snatching, which is now common on markets and along our principal streets.
We cannot continue to play the coward and allow some irresponsible youth, acting like terrorists, to sneak in and slaughter us like chicken on a daily basis.
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