Challenges of Effective Policing in Ghana: The Central Regional Command in Perspective

The police plays an important role in maintaining peace and security within the state. Yet, they are faced with numerous challenges that hinder them from performing their duties effectively. Informed by the Democratic theory of Policing and drawing on the narratives of fifteen participants using the purposive and convenient sampling techniques, the study investigated the challenges that hinder the police from effectively performing their duties. The findings revealed that challenges including inadequate/lack of logistics (such as vehicles, bulletproof vests, reflectors, arms, and ammunition), inadequate personnel, language barrier, and political interference are negative factors that hampered the efforts of the Ghana Police Service in carrying out their mandate effectively. These challenges further affected the morale of personnel of the Police Service, which in turn negatively influenced their motivation to effectively carry out their duties (i.e., crime control and prevention). The findings also showed that the inefficiencies in the service hamper their day-to-day operations and negatively impacted the confidence of service men and women in going all out to undertake their duties when the need arises. The study recommends that efforts should be made to meet the challenges, especially the improvement in the staff strength and improved logistical and equipment support to enhance the activities of the Police Service.