Themed, “Impacting Lives through Music”, the anniversary activities, mainly seek to educate the public on police work, as well as the responsibilities of each citizen towards crime prevention.

Supt. Dr. Frank Hukporti, Director of Bands, told the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the launch, on Thursday, that the activities sought to draw the citizenry closer to the Police through music, adding that there would be musical performances in heavily populated areas such as the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.

Supt. Dr. Hukporti said these performances would also be laced with the education of the people by the Public Affairs Department of the Police.

He said the topics would include “Collaborating with the Police for Effective Crime Combat”.

He said the activities also included performances at second cycle institutions and universities, with a lot of education on Police Work and Police-Public Education.

Every Capital city within the country is expected to come out with its own agenda for the celebrations, Supt. Dr.Hukporti said, adding that an activity would be planned for every month of the year-long celebration.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. David Asante Apeatu, who launched the event, said the Band which was initially formed as a Military Band, now had units in all administrative bases of the Police Service.

He said for the Police Force to perform to the best of its abilities, it needed the goodwill and support of the citizenry.

The IGP said the Police Band was the ideal tool to be used in forging these good relations because music was one medium, which forged unity by destroying inner turmoil, which in the long term, minimised external conflict.

He said through the unifying strength of music, the Band had the ability to draw the public closer to the Police for better understanding and collaboration.

The Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr. Henry Quartey, congratulated the Police Service for ranking eighth best in Africa for the year 2017.

He said apart from a “few bad nuts”, the Ghana Police had performed their duties excellently.

The Deputy Minister said there was indeed a strong need for the public to have faith in the Police, for effective crime combat, while the Police Band should improve upon its prospects, in order to serve its role effectively.

“I am of the belief that the Police Band would improve upon its lot, as part of the vision of the Ghana Police to be a World Class Police Service,” he said.

Formerly known as the Gold Coast Police Band, the Ghana Police Band now has units in all administrative bases of the Ghana Police Service.