Nima Police Station Receives Global Award
By Kwabena Opong
Nima Police Station in Accra, Ghana’s capital won an award as the best police station in Africa following a program initiated by the Altus Police Station Visitors Week (PSVW). The award was received on behalf of the station by the District Commander of Nima Police, Police Superintendent Justice Anthony Aduhene-Benieh.
Prior to receiving the award, Supt. Aduhene-Benieh gave an account of what led to the proud achievement of his police station. He recalled that among other achievements, his command has since 2008 when he assumed leadership been able to strengthen community relations with the police; crime rate has been reduced from almost 5,000 in 2008 to 2030 in December 2011.
According to the district commander, the reorganization of the Neighborhood Watch Committee has led to a safer district, particularly at Nima where the police station is physically situated. The police station, that is physically situated at Nima covers the “whole of Nima community, Mamobi, Kanda, Kaukudi, Malata, Kokomlemle, parts of Asylum Down, North Ridge, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Obra Spot and parts of New Town in the city of Accra. The Nima/Mamobi area is largely populated by Muslims, but has a high rate of illiteracy, abject poverty, and high unemployment coupled with a high birth rate,” the district commander added.
He recalled some of the challenges he faced in 2008 as poor office and prisoner cell infrastructure. “The furniture at the CID office and orderly room were bad; the district could not boast of even one computer and was still using a manual typewriter in this 21st century policing; police brutality was rife and suspects were assaulted at freewill by officers.” Other problems included long and unlawful detention periods of suspects.
What had to be done to address the challenges were to work with the local community leaders and increase police patrols and snap checks within the district.
Appeals to corporate bodies and churches resulted in donations that helped to provide new office furniture and renovation of holding cells and the provision of 80 mattresses, blankets and other sleeping material for prisoner comfort. Toilet facilities were improved and “a new and modern charge office counter was provided by the Lighthouse Chapel,” the police superintendent said. There was also constant interaction with inmates “to determine whether they have been arrested or detained unlawfully and also to listen to their problems and tried to solve those within my powers.” Even more important was surprise searches of prisoners for unwanted smuggled material such as drugs and cell phones. The police administration also provided a flat screen television set while Busy Internet provided a 24-hour access to the Internet. “We have liaised with AMA Task Force at Holy Gardens and they are in the process of constructing a modern Police Station to replace the old one at Holy Gardens. The work is about 60 percent complete,” the district commander added.
Supt. Aduhene-Benieh said on receiving the award: “Mr. Chairman, permit me to say that, this prestigious award is won by the hard and dedicated working personnel in the District, the Divisional Headquarters, the understanding and cooperation of the Nima Community and all civilian employees.”
He expressed his sincere gratitude to the Altus Global Alliance for instituting the award to promote public safety, security and accessible justice to all races.
The Altus Police Station Visitors Week (PSVW) established nearly a decade ago developed a simple tool that ordinary people could use to assess the facilities available in their local police stations to provide the needed security in the communities in which they live. The tools were customized for the various places to meet cultural and environmental demands. To operate on a global scale the six Altus member organizations engaged NGOs in their regions and countries to serve as local producers of Police Station Visitors Week. Altus works to enlist the participation of NGOs focused on empowering and improving opportunities among those who are poor and disadvantaged. The NGOs are well positioned to recruit a diverse mix of individuals, reflecting economic background, gender and age to participate in the program.
Areas of observation and assessment include community orientation, physical conditions, equal treatment of the public based on gender, ethnicity, nationality, minority status, age or sexual orientation; transparency and accountability and detention conditions.
The awards event was held at the Vera Institute of Justice in New York. In attendance were Messrs. Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Altus and Michael Jacobson, President, Vera Institute of Justice and host of the Global Award Meeting.
The winners for the event were received by the NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly at One Police Plaza for a Meet and Greet. They were later treated to an early lunch at the
Supt. Aduhene-Benieh who has since left for Ghana was also introduced to the police administration in New Jersey. He was given a tour of police installations and facilities in the city of Newark.