Details of arrangements for operations of security services are usually not disclosed and so naturally, the public do not attempt to have any knowledge of such details.
Thus, until the unexpected happens, members of the public hardly question the competence and effectiveness of the security services, particularly the police.
For this reason, we find it laudable on the part of the Ghana Police Service to inform the public about the implementation of a three-shift District and Station command system for 24-hour coverage in all police commands across the country.
According to the Police Administration, this is to ensure effective supervision, command and control at all police facilities, especially during the night, the time most crimes are committed and the services of commanders are needed most for dealing with the situations adequately.
The new system is also said to be part of the revised transformation agenda of the Service, and in line with international best practices as adopted by the United Nations (UN) and advanced countries.
The system adopted by the Police Administration is significant because it has benefits for both members of the service and the public.
For instance, it takes the stress from one district commander or station officer being in charge of operations for 24 hours as the current arrangement assigns such responsibility to three officers on eight-hourly basis.
That way, these officers can have time for their families and other demands and as well safeguard their health and have some peace of mind to render effective service.
In the case of the public, in the first place, the announcement of the new arrangement in itself is great assurance that the Ghana Police Service is constantly thinking about their safety and the need to respond to emerging security threats or circumstances.
In a way, the police are assuring the country that residents everywhere can have peaceful sleep because they are ever-ready to respond to crime, particularly that involving attacks on individuals.
We expect the Police Administration to fully implement the system at all levels of the police command, including the National Police Headquarters and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters, as it has promised.
Our prayer is that all personnel of the service would do their best to let the new system work as expected.
The system adopted by the Police Administration has a message for all public organisations in the country.
An aspect of that message is that they should not stick to the status quo but be always ready to adapt to change.
That change must come in the areas of staff welfare and wellbeing, the appropriateness of their work environment; customer service; and growth of the organisations among others.
It is, for instance, sad how certain public organisations continue to maltreat people who access their services.
The staff of these organisations talk to people anyhow and services that are expected to be delivered in relatively short periods take eternity to come.
Sometimes they are not delivered at all, but the customers dare not question the situation.
It is about time all public organisations in the country adopted changes for the better to grow the nation in the collective interest of all the people.
