Students advised to be security conscious
The Director of Community Policing, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Habiba Twumasi-Sarpong, has advised students on the campuses of the various educational institutions to be security conscious.
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She said students needed to take notice of their environment and be vigilant to be able to detect the presence of strangers on their campuses and halls of residence to avoid falling victims to criminals.
ACP Twumasi-Sarpong gave the advice when the Community Policing Department and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service organised a security alertness programme for medical students at their by Yellow AdBlocker" href="#">hostel
at Korle Bu in Accra on Friday.
Collaborate with police
According to her, the sensitisation programme was informed by an attack on a female medical student by a rapist at the by Yellow AdBlocker" href="#">hostel last two weeks.
She said the sensitisation also formed part of the initiative by the Police Service to educate tertiary students on personal security.
So far, she said, students of the Lancaster University and the Central University College had undergone such training.
ACP Twumasi-Sarpong, who is also the acting Co-ordinator of DOVVSU, explained that the police could not be everywhere, hence the need for the students to be alert and collaborate with them to take action against such criminals.
Don’t struggle with criminals
Making a presentation on security tips, Inspector Alfred Baffour-Awuah of the Community Policing Department said people who committed crime were inspired by circumstances such as anger and greed, and therefore acted with aggressiveness.
"Crime occurs when the motivated offender finds attractive target at a convenient location," he explained.
Therefore, he urged the students not to expose expensive gadgets to criminals, adding: “Avoid using obscure locations such as bushy alleys.”
He further advised the students not to struggle with criminals who attacked them because they were mostly armed and would not hesitate to harm them.
Inspector Baffour-Awuah also indicated that criminals normally take advantage of people who look soft and scared.
Therefore, he said, it was important to walk with confidence, while avoiding lift from strangers.
He further advised the students to effectively collaborate with the police and assist them with reliable and credible information that would help prevent crime.
Protect evidence of rape
Speaking on rape, Corporal Malaika-Zubril-Alhassan of DOVVSU indicated that rape, which was usually perpetuated by close relations and friends, was a first degree felony and punishable by law.
He said it was important for the victim to protect and provide evidence of the rape to enable the police to prosecute the case.
The Vice Dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry, Dr Merley Newman Nartey, urged the students to keep themselves safe.