Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of the Interior has admonished the police to resist collecting “gifts” from the public to re-gain lost public trust.

He said “gifts” are likely to compromise the tenets of the profession and further dilute the relationship with the public.

Mr Ahwoi who was commissioning a Police Station donated by the Local Council of Churches (LCC) at Atomic Hills Estate and Ashongman Estate in Accra, said the initiative by the Inspector General of Police and his team to rid the service of miscreants and unprofessional conduct have the full support of government.

“We encourage the Police Administration to step up this campaign which aims at restoring public confidence in the service,” he added.

He congratulated the LCC for the gift, adding, it will complement the effort of the government to resource or re-tool the Ghana Police Service to enable the service provide effective policing to the communities.

The LCC and members of the community contributed money to build the 150,000 Ghana Cedis office accommodation on a piece of land donated by the Presbyterian Church, Atomic Hills branch as their contributions to fight crime in the community.

The Minister admitted that the Police continue to be saddled with many challenges despite government’s efforts in recent years to provide adequate support in the areas of logistics, offices and residential accommodation.

“It is on this premise that government continues to laud the efforts of stakeholders, especially communities, who assist our law enforcement agencies in diverse ways.

“It is apparent that maintenance of law and order, specifically combating crime in our localities is a shared responsibility” he added.

Mr Ahwoi said when communities get involved in police-community initiatives and collaboration; crime rates are reduced and stressed the need to step up efforts to encourage more communities to join in fighting crime in their localities.

He noted that the provision of the office accommodation for the Police Service was an indication that public spirited members of the community recognize the role of the police in ensuring law and order and are ready and willing to contribute to effective law enforcement.

“Not only will this Police station serve its purpose in the maintenance of law and order within the Ashongman community and its surroundings, it will also provide a decent and befitting working environment for the noble men and women of the service stationed here.

“By providing this facility, the community expects effective and efficient policing from our police personnel. They expect to have visible and accessible police in a location where locals can seek assistance. More importantly, they expect quick responses to emergencies. This is not beyond the capacity of Ghana Police Force especially as the facility is located in the community,” he said.

He therefore urged the Police Service to maintain the building to prolong its life-span.

DCOP Christian Tetteh Yohunu, Accra Regional Police Commander, in a speech read for him, said the Police Station adding up to the number within the Atomic-Kwabenya jurisdiction would help make Police presence more visible in the community and bring them closer to the people who receive their services.

He said for every institution to make progress in its area of operation, it is incumbent upon it to keep abreast with the time and stressed the need for continuous revision of methods of operation from time to time to meet the exigencies of the day.

“We as a region acknowledges this fact and continues to put measures in place regularly to enable all the Districts commands establish closer link and collaboration with stakeholders in the communities,” he said.

Reverend Charles B. Ahwireng, Chairman of LCC, said for some time now they have been leaving in fears and panic as a result of activities of armed robbers and thieves and the LCC and members found it proper to build a station for the police to help fight the criminals.

He said most people lost their lives in the hands of these criminals and other are still traumatized and expressed the hope that the efforts will help protect the community members and its environs.