According to him, public displays of the Police Service’s successes against the perpetrators of armed robberies will serve as a deterrent to potential offenders while also reassuring the public that the police are in control.

[contextly_sidebar id=”oxbpw8Vb0Wbt4hTHoxWyN1Ne8tgBUfHn”]”When I read this morning that some of those armed robbers who attacked Kwabenya have been gunned down, I had no apologies. For me, an ordinary citizen, it is a reassurance. They came in to kill, the police confront them and overpowered them. Me I will encourage it [displaying the bodies]. When you take the battle to them and you beat them to it… We haven’t lost it. But once you are in reactionary mode, you’ve lost it,” he said.

Capt. Budu-Koomson also asked the Police not to treat the criminals with kid gloves.

He said the police must take the criminals on and launch series of attacks on them at their hideouts to address the spate of robberies in the country.

“I can assure you that these armed robbers are never in the majority. It is a small group. [They have to] be taken on rather with bold actions by the security agencies. You don’t go to them with kid gloves. I will preach for bold actions. Take them on, boot for boot. Take the battle to them. This is war, we should really take the battle to them,” Captain Rtd. Budu-Koomson said on Citi FM’s news analysis program, The Big Issue on Saturday.

Captain Budu-Koomson, who described the recent wave of armed robberies in the country as a war, said citizens will be reassured of their safety if the Police are on the offensive and do not only react after a robbery incident.

There appears to be a heightened wave of robbery attacks in the country in recent months with cases reported in the last week being some of the worst reported.

Most of the incidents show robbers displaying bravado by perpetrating the crimes in broad daylight.

A Lebanese was shot and killed at Tema Industrial Area this week, with the robbers bolting with some GH¢ 200,000 he had cashed from a bank minutes earlier.

Although the Police has given assurances that they are in control of the situation, residents in the communities that have affected by the activities of the robbers say they are living in fear.

But according to Captain Budu-Koomson, the police will be able to overpower the criminals if it gathers enough intelligence and takes bold steps towards addressing the issue.

‘We’ll shoot to kill robbers who engage us’

Meanwhile, the Accra Regional Police Command has threatened that it will shoot to kill any armed robber who attempts to engage the Police in a gunfight.

Speaking to Citi News after some Police personnel shot and killed two robbers in Accra on Friday, the Regional Commander, DCOP George Alex Mensah said the Service will do all it takes to protect its officers and the citizenry.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Displaying killed robbers’ bodies will reassure public – Budu Koomson appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

There has been an upsurge in armed robbery cases in the last few weeks with a number of them involving daylight attacks on individuals and institutions.

Speaking on Citi FM’s News analysis programme, The Big Issue on Saturday, Budu Koomson said the only way to fight the robbers, who he said are in the minority, is to match them “boot for boot.”

“These armed robbers are never in the majority, it is a small group that has to be taken on rather with bold action by the security agencies. You don’t go to them with kids gloves. I will preach for bold action, take them on, boot for boot.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”yY3kHgd3oDWlYEWwChjMXeM9kQgbjUjj”]“It is war and war is not pleasant. They’ve declared war on us. Professionalism doesn’t mean cowardice or treating people with kids gloves. Let us give them the space to deal with this thing radically,” he added.

Captain Koomson also welcomed a decision by government to deploy the military in the fight against armed robbers,  saying that although it is a short-term measure, it is reassuring to the public.

He further called on government to retool the security agencies to enable them discharge their duties effectively.

“I would say that bringing in the military to collaborate with the police is a short-term approach but it is reassuring. It is a short-term measure to put the fear of God in the criminals but the long term is to actually enhance the capabilities of the police, give them logistics and force the training on them. We have to build the intelligence capacity to filter out these things before they hit us,” he added.

2 suspected robbers gunned down at Haatso

His comments come after officers from the Greater Accra Regional Police Command gunned down two suspected notorious robbers in their hideout in what the police calls an exchange of gunfire earlier this week.

According to the Police, the two, Raymond, alias Dragon, and Kwame alias Mafia, are suspected to be part of a syndicate that robbed a fuel station at Haatso in Accra.

They are believed to have also been involved in the attack on the Kwabenya District Police station which led to some 7 inmates being freed and the killing of a police officer, Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi.

According to the Minister of State in charge of National Security, Bryan Acheampong, over 200 robbery cases have been recorded since January 2018.

However, he insisted that despite a significant increase in the number of cases so far this year as compared to the same time last year, there has consistently been a large number of robbery cases for close to two decades.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Police must deal with robbers ‘boot for boot’ – Budu Koomson appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.