Tema (Greater Accra) 29 March ?99

DSP Robert Azu, Tema, Community One District Police Commander, today called on the public to help the police bring down crime wave which stood at over 170,000 cases nation-wide in 1997.

In 1993 the police recorded 145,798 cases which rose to 151,147 in 1994 and 160,063 in 1995. This further shot up to 167,248 cases in 1996. Assault cases topped the list followed by stealing.

DSP Azu revealed this when he introduced members of the Tema Community One Site Two Unit Committee, to residents of the area. DSP Azu commended the Site Two Watch Dog Committee which, since its establishment in 1995, has brought 41 serious crime cases to the police.

Out of this number, 18 cases gained conviction, 16 are still before the courts, while the rest, including the recent arrest of four car thieves, are under investigation. Mr Ishmael Ashietey, NPP Member of Parliament for Tema East, described the unit committees as a vital aspect of the non-partisan local government system which allows the people to handle their own affairs.