The Police Ladies Association (POLAS) in conjunction with the Police Administration has launched its 70th Anniversary celebration at the forecourt of the Police Headquarters in Accra.
The month-long celebration is dubbed” Celebrating 70 years of female policing in Ghana, her evolution and future”.
COP Maame Yaa Addo Dankwa who doubles as the Director General of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and the National President of POLAS recounting the history and impact of the association noted that female participation in policing in Ghana started in 1952 when the first 12 ladies were recruited into the service has grown to 10,951 representing 28 per cent of the police population of 39,184, police ladies perform all the core functions of the service, in strategic, tactical and operational roles across board whose impact is not only felt in Ghana but on the peacekeeping missions abroad.
“Out of this number, 282 are senior officers representing 19 per cent of the senior officers population of 1,456,” she said.
She said, ” The future is bright for Policewomen and I will urge you all to contribute significantly to the current theme of the Police Administration to restore public trust, command public respect, regain public confidence and cement police legitimacy”.
In a speech read by Director General in charge of Administration, COP Christian Tetteh Yohonu, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police Dr George Akuffo Dampare, said the police profession was solely male-dominated until the first Ghanaian Prime Minister, Dr Kwame Nkrumah came into the political scene and changed it.
He said, “It is also on record that certain discriminatory regulations even barred the females from marriage and having children contrary to what pertained to their male counterparts”.
Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, in a speech read on his behalf by Mrs Adelaide Annor Kumi said violent crimes against women, especially domestic violence, are the dominance.
He, therefore, urged the police women to take the issue up and help reduce it to the barest minimum.
He said, “Women in Police do have a significant impact on law enforcement practices in diverse ways. The encouraging momentum towards creating a more balanced public safety service is energised in part by a growing appreciation of certain unique and valuable qualities that women often bring to law enforcement”.
The Minister urged POLAS to continue living true to their motto of ARISE and continue to work towards full gender equality in all things related to the service.
Some dignitaries present were both serving and retired members of the Ghana Police Service, Dr Zenator Agyeman- Rawlings, MP for Korle Klottey constituency, CEO of Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) Nana Dwemoh Benneh, Sister Associations of other security services including Ghana Armed Forces, Prisons Service, Immigration, the customs division of Ghana Revenue Authority, and EOCO.
