Female police officer collapses after suffering beatings from Tamale residents

A female police officer has gained consciousness after she blacked out following an attack by some residents of Changli, a suburb in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern region.

The unnamed female officer had gone to the community with two other police officers, on April 16, to effect the arrest of a woman who was a suspect in a theft case under investigation.

According to the Northern Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Otuo Acheampong, although the officers went to the area with a marked police van, the residents had no respect for them.

“They saw the woman and the woman called her son. Her son organised the people in the community who came, attacked the officers and assaulted them,” he told JoyNews’ Martina Bugri.

The injured police officer, he stated, is still on admission at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

“This morning we got information that she is responding well to treatment,” he added.

Supt. Acheampong said that his team is on the move to investigate and arrest the people who attacked the officers.

He stated that the assault on the police in the area “is becoming one too many.” He disclosed that there have been cases where police attackers in the region have been tried in court and they are hoping to find these culprits as well.

Supt Acheampong said recent checks indicate that crime is on the low in the region.

However, he added that unreported crimes have been hard to investigate especially when people in the community are unwilling to cooperate.

He said many people take matters into their own hands, either investigate or arrest the suspect, force confessions out of them and take their properties to make up what they allegedly stole.

“This is wrong. We want to encourage the people that the police are here (for them). Every criminal case should be reported to and investigated by the police. So we encourage people to come with their complaints. That’s why we are here.”

Source: MyJoyOnline.com