For the second time since assuming office, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Alhassan has hosted senior media personnel, assuring them that the doors of the law enforcement agency are open for criticisms and suggestions that could ensure quality delivery of policing in the country.

Sometime in July last year, a similar engagement with the media at his instance was held at the Senior Police Officers’ Mess, Accra.

At last Thursday’s media soiree during which the top brass of the Police, otherwise known as the Headquarters Management Board (HEMAB) joined the IGP to host the media guests, the fantastic tete a tete amidst music provided by the Police Band, the law enforcement agency opened up itself for suggestions and criticisms.

Media personnel took turns to suggest and critique their hosts as part of the programme, suggestions which stretched from the conduct of counter NCOs to withholding of details of stories.

The list of the top brass of the uniformed personnel was long, prominent among them were COP Frank Adu Poku, COP Dampare, COP Rose Atenga-Bio, COP Oppong Manu, COP John Kudalor, DCOP Awuni Angwubutoge, DCOP Ampah Benni, among others.

In his address, Mr. Mohammed Alhassan, a man with several years experience in United Nations policing spanning various theatres, expressed gratitude to the media for the cordial relationship that has existed between them and the law enforcement agency.

If such interactions remain a feature of the Police calendar long after the IGP’s exit from the law enforcement, it would add to his list of achievements.

He is credited with the establishment of the Ghana Police Staff College, Winneba, the Formed Police Unit, the Visibility Policing module, among others.

The successes chalked by the law enforcement agency would not have been possible without the support of the media, he said, adding that “you have been there for us, to encourage us, cover our activities, support us, critique us and also progressively chastise us where we went wrong.”

He pointed out that as a result of a paradigm shift in the law enforcement agency, commanders are taking initiatives to improve their commands without depending on the central authority.

He said, “signs of these are visible all over, with improvement in our office accommodation and its surroundings.”

Cases in point, he said, are the new-look National Headquarters, the Accra Regional Police Headquarters, Ashanti Regional Headquarters and many more.

“The police have changed their mode of operations to proactive policing rather reactive.

“We have increased police visibility in our communities. We intend to expand the concept and saturate our communities even the more.”

Earlier, Director General Public Affairs Directorate of the Police Service DCOP Rev. David Ampah-Benin welcomed the media and laid the objective of the engagement.

“We are gathered here not to make merry but also to reflect on past and present events, share ideas and find common solution to some of the problems facing us in serving our people,” he said.

Engaging with stakeholders, he said, has been informed by the sophistication of crime in recent times and the need to seek varied suggestions on how to deal with it.

“We cherish editors from the various media houses, it is as a result of this that the Police administration deems it appropriate for us to meet from time to time to share ideas,” he said.