The Ashanti Regional Police has stepped up patrols in the Kumasi metropolis, Joy News has gathered.

This is in reaction to the recent spate of armed robbery and crime violence in the Metropolis and its environs.

Safety of residents in the Kumasi Metropolis has been threatened following recent attacks.

On May 20, a police officer with the Regional Police SWAT team was shot dead.

Also, a resident was killed by armed robbers after they trailed him to his house at Ahenema Kokoben.

These incidents and others have served as rude awakening to the Police Administration resulting in a crunch meeting held on May 23 to consider the best way of protecting lives and properties in the region.

At the end, the Regional Police Command decided to set up a new taskforce headed by three senior officers to deal with the incidents of violent crime in the Metropolis.

Speaking to Joy News, Public Relations Officer of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, ASP Mohammed Tanko said the current arrangement is targeted at ending crime and its related activities in the Metropolis.

He disclosed, “We have resolved to extend our patrols to other places where hitherto we didn’t have a patrol especially those places that are very much on the fringes of the Metropolis.”

Touching on plans to arrest the growing confidence of armed robbers in Ahenema Kokoben, ASP Tanko said the police command has decided to increase the number of checkpoints in the area.

He also said the number of men who patrol the area has been increased to ensure that enough men are available to handle the robbers.

He disclosed this will come at a cost since officers will have to spend less time in the office and more in the field monitoring the men manning the various checkpoints.