Established since 1894, the Ghana Police Service (GPS) has been and is still the principal law enforcement and criminal justice agency of the Republic of Ghana. It is one of the government agencies under the Ministry of Interior.
Among the major functions of the GPS are the protection of life and property, prevention, detection and investigation of crime, arrest, detention, and prosecution of suspected criminals, and maintenance of public order.
It really feels good to note that the Ghana Police Service is currently listed as one of the best in Africa. They are, however, not satisfied with that as the Service is diligently working towards becoming the best in the world in few years to come.
The headquarters of the Ghana Police Service is located in Accra and headed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), currently David Asante-Apeatu (since February 2017). Following the IGP in the hierarchy are the Deputy Inspector-General and the Director General of Police who assist in supervising the operations of the entire Service across the nation.
With a staff strength of over 30,000, the GPS is carefully structured in a way that facilitates efficient delivery across the entire country. It is broadly made up of 12 regional divisions comprising the ten regions of Ghana, the Tema Seaport and Industrial region and the Railways & Ports region.
To promote the efficiency of its operations and delivery, the Ghana Police Service is further classified into 10 Departments in each of its Regional Divisions. These include:
- Criminal Investigation Department [CID]
- Motor Traffic and Transport Directorate [MTTD]
- Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit [DOVVSU]
- The Police College
- Police Regional Training School
- Works & Housing Department
- Public Relations Department
- Medical – Hospital
- Marine Ports & Railways
- Community Policing
The regions are further divided into 51 divisions, 179 Districts, and 651 stations. Every region, division, district and station boast tons of police officers in their various ranks who are assigned to specific duties and locations at every point in time.
Each of the 10 Regional Divisions is headed by a Regional Commander who oversees the affairs of all of the above special units as well as the divisions and stations under its jurisdiction. The Regional Commander also works with the Regional Operational Commander and the Deputy Regional Commander to carry out operational and administrative duties.
When and How To Contact The GPS
Based on the provisions of the constitution, the Ghana Police Service operates on democratic policing principles. The Service is therefore mandated to be open to complaints and reports for 24 hours of every day.
While it is generally advised to contact the police whenever there is a threat to life and/or property, here are some of the specific situations that call for the GPS to be alerted:
- Burglary and robbery attack
- Fire outbreak and auto crash
- Mob attack and other forms of physical assault
- Domestic violence and sexual abuse
- Suicide attempt and medical emergency
- Detection of suspicious activity or criminal hideout
- Reporting of Missing or wanted persons
In emergency situations, call 191 (Toll-free for all Networks) or 18555 (Vodafone/MTN Toll-free). Make sure you know your location when calling in emergency situations as this is paramount or rather indispensable for a quick police rescue response. Also, endeavor to provide other necessary information required of you and follow given instructions religiously.
For other non-emergency reports or complaints, call +233 302 776672 or go to the police station nearest to your location.
In case there is need to contact the IGP or the GPS, you can do so via any of the following contact details:
The Inspector General of Police, Ghana Police Service, P.O. Box 116, Accra (+233 302 779300, 302 -773906, +233 302 777428)
Alternatively, you can reach out to:
GPS Headquarters, Ring Road East, Cantonment, Ghana (+233 302 779300, +233 302 779302-5)
Website: http://www.police.gov.gh/
E-mails: support@police.gov.gh or info@police.gov.gh
You can also submit your complaint(s) online via this link www.police.gov.gh/get-in-touch
Police Reshuffling
On May 7, 2018, there was a major reshuffling of some personnel of the police force to strategic positions across the nation which is reported as the second stir in the security forces since the surge in robbery cases captured the public’s attention in March 2018.
In the recent reshuffling, the police personnel who have been transferred include:
1. DCOP Vincent Dedjoe – Moved from the Upper East Regional Command to the head Western Regional Command.
2. DCOP Patrick Adusei Sarpong – Moved to the Northern Regional Commander to become Head of Legal at the National Police Headquarters.
3. DCOP Timothy Yosa Bonga – The former Director of Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS) now heads the Northern Regional Command.
4. DCOP Osei Kweku Ampofo Duku – Now heads the Upper East Regional Command.
5. DCOP Edward Tabiri – The Director of General Legal Services, now the Director-General of Private Security Services.
Others include COP Ken Yeboah, Ashanti Regional Commander, who is now Director General, Technical. He has been replaced by DCOP Kwesi Mensah Duku, who was heading the Western Region Police Command.
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