The Police administration is jubilating over a seeming reduction in crime rates in the first quarter of 2011. Latest data on crime released by the administration indicate a reduction across the county with exception to the Ashanti and the Western Regions. In Accra, crime is said to have reduced from 117 from January to April last year to 54 same period this year. In Tema, the reduction was from 51 to 24. The story in the Ashanti Region was different. It increased from 51 last year to 80, same period this year. The Ashanti debacle notwithstanding, the police administration says it has achieved a feat worth commending. “Even, one month is a long time for somebody to have undergone a distasteful situation like robbery and other serious crime,” DSP Cephas Arthur, Acting Public Relations Officer of the Police Service said in response to a question that it was perhaps too early for the police to start jubilating. He was speaking to Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh on Thursday. According to him, his outfit has decided to, on quarterly basis, release data on crime-related activities across the country as a way of assessing the performance of the police administration. He said the police will be bold and candid enough to admit if, on a particular period, the data showed an increase in crime related activities. He attributed the massive police presence through extensive Highway patrols as reason for the reduction in crime. He said the police, through intelligence, have also been able to swoop suspected criminals across the country. Whilst commending the police administration for the reduction, security analyst Dr. Kwasi Aning said the police must be cautious. He noted even though the figures may have reduced, it may not necessarily mean crime has reduced. He noted some bad police practices such as extortion may prevent victims of crimes to report the case to the police. Dr Aning said the increase in crimes in the Western Region must also be a source of worry to the police. On the challenges of the fulani herdsmen posing security threats, the analyst said unless the country promulgates the ECOWAS protocol on trans-human, it will still be tottering with the phenomenon. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana