The Ghana Police Service has launched a five-day community policing training programme in Wa, aimed at strengthening trust between officers and the communities they serve.
The training, organised in partnership with the Coastal States Stability Mechanism (CSSM), brings together 90 officers drawn from Wa West, Sissala West, and Lambussie districts. It is being delivered in three cohorts and focuses on enhancing officers’ skills in conflict prevention, community engagement, and modern policing practices.
At the opening ceremony, Upper West Regional Police Commander, DCOP Francis Yiribaare, underscored the importance of building public trust. He noted that effective policing goes beyond crime statistics and depends largely on the confidence communities have in law enforcement.
Similarly, Deputy Director-General of the National Patrol Department, DCOP Prince Jude Cobbina, encouraged participants to fully engage with the training and apply the knowledge in their respective districts to improve service delivery.
Representing CSSM, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Amos Nunifant, commended the Ghana Police Service for its leadership in the initiative. He explained that the programme forms part of broader efforts to strengthen relations between security agencies and communities while fostering peace and stability.
The training is part of wider interventions to promote community policing and enhance security across the Upper West Region. CSSM, which supports the programme, is funded by the governments of Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, and implemented by the International Organization for Migration.
Through initiatives like this, CSSM continues to work with governments and local communities to strengthen state presence in conflict-prone areas, improve access to essential services, and support socio-economic development.
