Journal of Sociology and Social Work

Sustaining Development through Policing: Wa Municipality in Perspective
Samuel Marfo

Abstract
The maintenance of public safety through a sound policing is a key enabler for development (economic progress, social welfare and political stability). In view of this the Ghana Police Service, an official agency responsible for ensuring public safety has been adopting various strategies in its operations targeting crime. One notable strategy has been the adoption of the police visibility concept in 2013 intended to reduce crime through deterrence. Arguably, the concept has been criticized as to its actual contribution to security by Ghanaians. Against this background, an exploratory study was conducted in the Wa Municipality, a beneficiary of the visibility concept; with the purpose of examining the perception held by the public on the visible police, and the actual effects the visibility concept have on the maintenance of security. Data gathered from 200 respondents through semi-structured interview revealed that the public perception on the visible police have been positive. Besides, the visibility policing have aroused public sense of safety and contributed to crime reduction especially, communities around the police visibility points in the Wa Municipality. This paper recommends a strong sectorial collaboration as a means of promoting public safety as enabler for sustainable development in the Wa Municipality.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jssw.v4n1a16