Police Service lists crime prone areas

Page 14: Daily Graphic, July 16, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Operations Department of the Ghana Police Service has listed all the crime-prone areas within the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions for appropriate strategies to deal with the criminal activities in those areas.
While intensifying its measures to deal with criminal activities in those areas, it has also asked residents, motorists and pedestrians within those areas to be extra vigilant and take personal security measures to augment that of the police.
It has also extended its activities to areas which were not listed as crime prone, as precautionary measures to stem any attempt of criminals to change to those areas.
In the Greater Accra Region, the police listed areas as Adenta Housing Down, Dome Pillar 2, Ashalley Botwe, East Legon, South Odorkor, Dansoman and Nungua-Batsoona as crime-prone areas.
Other areas include Tantra Hills, Lartebiokoshie, Ablekuma-Awoshie, Ritz Madina, Santa Maria, South Ofankor, Spintex Road, Haatso, Adjiringanor, Pokuasi, Awudome Cemetery, Bubiashie cemetery, Dzorwulu, Dome and Nungua.
The rest are Kotobabi, Odorkor, Kwashieman, Kwabenya, Nima Big Gutter, Sowutuom, North Kaneshie, Anyaa, Pig Farm, Obetsebi Lamptey roundabout, Bishop roundabout at Bubiashie and Kaneshie.
In the Ashanti Region, the police named Buorkrom, New Tafo, Ash-Town, Oforikrom, Obuasi, Asokwa, Krofrom, Agona-Asokore, KNUST area, Tafo Nhyiaso, Gyinase, Santasi, Kwamang, Aputagya, Effiduase, Kokorbra and Sepe-Buorkrom.
The rest are Ala Bar area, Race Course area, Ejisu, Essan-Dabiso, Akurem, Adukrom, Okyerekrom, Amakom, Kejetia-Asafo, Bantama, Obuasi-Anyaa, Kokoben, Asokore, Mampong, Kwapanin and Mamponteng.
The Director of Police Public Affairs, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic that people living in those areas must take their personal security and that of their property very seriously.
He said although the police had increased their operations in those areas, it was incumbent on residents to contribute their part.
He said what residents or property owners could do was to reinforce their doors and also provide good lighting systems on their premises.
DSP Ofori said people must also be observant of things and movement of suspicious and even known persons, as well as vehicles and motorcycles.
He said the communities could also start forming neighbourhood watch committees, members of which must be screened by the police to ensure that criminals did not take over the watch committees.
DSP Ofori advised that anytime that they heard of gunshots within their areas, they should immediately call the police hotlines.
He urged parents and residents to take keen interest in persons they found talking to their children as such persons could be soliciting information from them.