The resolution of the Police Administration to drastically reduce violent crimes, particularly armed robbery, is already yielding positive results with Ashanti Region recording a decline in armed robbery cases. Speaking at the 2009 annual get-together of the service here in Kumasi, the Regional Commander, DCOP Patrick Timbillah, said there was a significant decline last year, compared to that of the previous years. For example, he said, a total of 279 violent crimes were recorded in 2008 as against 227 for 2009. He said with the exception of the first quarter of last year, which recorded a higher number of crimes, the last three quarters saw a decline in reported cases of violent crimes. "This achievement was largely due to the support the service received from its stakeholders in the region, particularly the traditional authorities, the public, the media and other sister security agencies," the regional commander said. On road accidents, he said a total of 136 arrests were made, noting that the figures could have been higher but for the vigilance of the police service in road and traffic management. He reiterated the Police Administration's resolve to rid it of all bad nuts and warned that the service would not shield or condone any officer found to have acted contrary to the dictates of the service. Mr. Timbillah said the service was aware of the existence of those whose "covert or overt actions and inactions intermittently derail the successes of the police, adding that "cogent policies arid severe sanctions have been put in place to identify and appropriately punish such miscreants." The Ashanti Minister, Kofi Opoku- Manu, commended the police for ensuring peace and security in the region, but urged them not to rest on their oars and to do better to ensure that crime was reduced to its barest minimum. Mr. Opoku-Manu also advised the public not to take the peace they were enjoying for granted as it had been achieved on the back of "sleepless nights" by the police and other security agencies. Source: Ghanaian Times