The Police Command in the Upper West Region has deployed 400 police personnel to fight crime as the year 2017 comes to an end.

This was contained in a release issued to the press in the Upper West Region and signed by the Regional Commander DCOP Boapeah  Otchere.

The key areas of policing include highway robbery, stealing of motorbikes and residential burglary, illegal mining and cattle rustling.

The police, together with other security agencies will conduct snap checks, day and night patrols, highway patrols, traffic management, visibility among others to ensure a crime-free Christmas and New Year.

According to the release, the Command has established 15 snap check points in the Wa Municipality in addition to those at Pongyeng Tanga, on the Wa-Kumasi Highway and Yiziri, on the Nadowli-Lawra Highway. 

The Communiqué explained that one SWAT team has been assigned to Bamahu and the University of Development Studies Campus to add to the existing structure there.

In terms of visibility, the statement indicated that a number of personnel and duty points of visibility have been increased at the market and lorry stations, adding that patrols in new residential settlements have also been increased. 

The release noted that the police was aware of ‘galamseyers’ from the southern part of Ghana shifting their nefarious activities to Upper West Region, particularly, the Black Volta in the Wa West District, Tumu and Wechiau.

The police warned that the activities of the illegal miners are being monitored after the Regional Police Command destroyed water pump machines, shovels, tools and other materials being used in the illegal mining.

It stated that four suspects from Burkina Faso were being arraigned before court for prosecution and advised the media and the general public to help with information on illegal miners to save the Black Volta.