The Ghana Police Service has deployed hundreds of Police personnel throughout the country to battle crime as the Christmas season approaches.

A campaign, dubbed ‘Operation Father Christmas’ has been launched in the various regional capitals by the service.

Crime rates usually go up during Christmas festivities.

The Police Service says its intelligence reveals criminals will step up their activities and attack members of the public during the yuletide in December.

Although the police have assured the general public of safety during the festivities, it has asked Ghanaians to take their personal security more seriously as the season approaches.

According to Joy News’ Latif Idris who joined the convoy of the ‘show of force exercise’, about 486 policemen in about 100 police pickup trucks paraded the streets of Accra today with weapons and ammunitions.

Similar operations are ongoing in the regional capitals accross the country.

In the Ashanti regional capital Kumasi, about 700 police men, exhibiting powerful arms are parading Asawase and the Affordable Housing area and some other places perceived to be hideouts of criminals in the region.

The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Nathan Kofi Boakye has assured traders in Kumasi of their safety before, during and after the festivities.

“As I am talking with you now, we have a lot of CID men around Kejetia and on the terminals to make sure that there will not be pick-pocketing incidents,” he said.

He also added that volunteer groups have been formed to battle highway robberies in and around Kumasi.