BRIEF HISTORY The attainment of Republican status in 1960, saw the changing of the name Ghana Police Force into Ghana Police Service. With the enactment of the Police Force (amendment) Decree, in 1974 (NRCD.303) the Ghana Police Service was removed from the control of the Public Service Commission and restored to the status of a selfaccounting organisation, resulting in the creation of districts, divisions and units to enable it cope with the ever increasing demand of the public. Before then, history indicates that the Police Force started with a handful of troops kept by a committee of merchants to guard their areas of operations (Forts and Castles) even before the Gold Coast was colonised. In 1844, the British took over those troops and named it the “Gold Coast Militia and Police”. The troops mainly performed guard duties at the Forts/Castles. Some were also attached to the Courts for investigations and service of summonses When the British Government assumed full sovereignty over the Gold Coast in 1871, the Force had only ninety (90) men. This was reinforced with four hundred (400) Hausa tribesmen from Northern Nigeria and other tribesmen from Sierra Leone. In 1876, the Force was named the “Gold Coast Constabulary”. With the attainment of self rule, the first President of Ghana appointed Mr. E.R.T. Madjitey, Commissioner of Police, as the first Ghanaian head of the Police Force. Since then there have been fifteen (1 Inspector-Generals of Police who have seen the successful administration of the Service. National Headquarters The Inspector-General of Police is assisted the day-to-day administration and operation c the service by two (2) Deputy Inspector Generals of Police i.e. Deputy IGP/Administration and Deputy IGP in charge of operations. All Police functions, organisation, personn management and welfare have been divid into ten(10) SCHEDULES with each schedul under the Command of a Commissioner Police. The schedules are; SERVICES WELFARE SDM (Strategic Direction and Monitoring) TECHNICAL LEGAL AND SPECIAL DUTIES CID FINANCE OPERATIONS (OPS) HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMEN (HRD) POLICE INTELLIGENCE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BUREAU (PIPS) CHIEF STAFF OFFICER (Regional) ADMINISTRATION OF THE SERVICE The structure of the Police Service has expanded over the years with the creation of new units to address the increasing demands of governance and public safety. The day-to-day administration of the Police Service is under the unified command and authority of the Inspector-General of Police [IGP] who is based at the Police Headquarters inAccra, the nation’s capital. The IGP is assisted by two deputy IGP’s one is responsible for Administration and the other responsible for Operations. Also assisting the IGP at the Police Headquarters is the Headquarters Management Advisory Board: (HEMAB). They are responsible for the following schedules; SERVICES WELFARE SDM (Strategic Direction and Monitoring) TECHNICAL LEGALAND SPECIAL DUTIES FINANCE OPERATIONS (OPS) HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (HRD) CHIEFSTAFFOFFICER POLICE INTELLIGENCE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BUREAU (PIPS) The Ghana Police Service is divided into twelve administrative regions namely: Accra, Tema, Ashanti, BrongAhafo, Eastern, Volta, Western, Central, Northern, Railways, Ports and Harbour, Upper East and Upper West Regions. Below the regions, there are; 51 Police Divisions, Commanded by Divisional Commanders, 179 Police Districts Commanded by District Commanders, and 651 Police Stations and posts supervised by station officers. The service has manpower strength of a little over seventeen thousand 17,000 personnel with a male to female ratio of about 7:3 and police civilian ratio of about 1:1200. NEW POLICING STRATEGY With manpower strength of about 17,000, the Ghana Police Service has undergone major transformation over the years. The focus is now on forming strategic partnership with the public in the fight against crime. Community Policing is now being encouraged to involve local communities in identifying potential crime problems and together with the police map out strategies to check them. The service is also paying special attention to the needs of women and children and other victims of domestic violence. The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit [DOVVSU] has offices throughout the regions to handle such cases. RELATIONSHIP WITH INTERPOL The Ghana Police Service joined Interpol in 1958. Ghana was the first African Country to host the Interpol General Assembly in 1976. Ghana is also an active member of the West African Police Chiefs’ Committee [WAPCCO] The Ghana Police Service has been actively cooperating with police services within and outside the sub-region in the fight against transnational crimes such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism, internet fraud, stolen vehicles, trafficking in small arms and light weapons and money laundering. Ghana hosted the 18th Interpol. African Regional Conference and thefl 7th meeting of Heads of African National Drugs service from 11th-i 5th July, 2005 inAccra. The Ghana Office of Interpol has beep connected to the state of the art global communication system called 1/24/7 - Interpol 24 hours a day seven days a week. Tel No: 0302-777606.