The Director General of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS), Mrs Joana Osei-Poku, on Friday said the Police Service has the responsibility to consolidate the tenets of democratic governance as well as ensure the rule of law.

She said it is incumbent on every police officer to work towards the creation of a congenial atmosphere in which all persons irrespective of class or status could go about their legitimate pursuits of life without fear or any hindrance.

Mrs Osei-Poku said this when she inaugurated a six-member Police Management Board (POMAB) for the Central Region in Cape Coast.

The Board has Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Ransford Ninson the Central Regional Police Commander as Chairman, Assistant Commissioner of Police Johnson Agyemang, Deputy Regional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police James Amoako, Regional Crime Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police Okyere Danquah, Assin Fosu Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Asoma Hinneh, Agona Swedru Divisional Commander and Police Inspector Darko Koranteng, representative of the other ranks, being members.

The members who were sworn into office by Mr Justice James Benson Benuyenah a Cape Coast Supervising High Court Judge, are to implement policy decisions made by the Inspector General of Police.

The members are also to ensure the enforcement of law and order and discipline in the Region as well as ensure collective management of human, material and financial resources allocated to the Region.

Mrs Osei-Poku said the country has seen an increase in constituencies and political districts , increased population, urbanization and crime and this has made the administering the police service nationwide complex and challenging.

“It is the Police Administration’s wish that the decentralization of police headquarters administration control and operations would yield maximum effectiveness and efficiency to enhance the overall service delivery to meet the growing expectation of the country”, she said.

She said the Police Administration is committed to the paradigm shift in law enforcement activities, underpinned by proactive policing strategies, effective combat of violent crime, effective mobilization and the deployment of human and material resources , command accountability, professional and ethical conduct of personnel , re-organization and re-alignment of the operational units and Crime Investigation Division.

Mrs Osei-Poku urged the members to work as a team in order to meaningfully support the successful implementation of the reforms and restructuring policy initiatives.

She commended the Central Regional Police Command for their hard work which has made the region one of the safest in the country in spite of the existing security and social challenges.

Mr Samuel Sarpong, the Central Regional Minister, commended the Central Regional Police Command for the abled manner and professionalism with which they have been executing their duties in the areas of crime prevention and detection, apprehension of offenders, maintenance of law and order, maintenance of internal peace and security.

He underscored the importance of the work of the police adding that it involves a lot of hard work and effective coordination among all the police units adding that it is only when all the units are properly managed and coordinated that the service can deliver effectively.

The minister urged them to strive to improve their relationship with civilians this he noted is the surest way to elicit from them the needed support and cooperation.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta II Omanhen of Oguaa traditional area, who presided over the function, congratulated the Board members and urged them to stay abreast with modern trends noting that crime and other vices were going high-tech and they should also go high-tech to enable them meet the current challenges.

He urged them to perform their duties tactfully and endeavor to put on human-face in all the decisions they make.