The Ghana Police Service (GPS) and the New York City Police Department (NYPD) have proposed working with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to govern their relationship in the future.
Both sides reviewed the framework for strengthening institutional cooperation and facilitating sustained engagement between them.
The issue of the MoU came up during high-level discussions between a delegation of top-level officials of the NYPD and the GPS at its headquarters in Accra.
The NYPD delegation was led by Chief Roberto Rios and included Legat Abass Golfrey of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Michael Witham, a Director, and Detective Malcolm Witham, both of the NYPD.
The delegation of senior officers held a series of high-level engagements with the GPS.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, together with members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), received the delegation at the Police Headquarters.
The visit and discussions reinforce the growing partnership between the two police institutions to advance discussions on operational cooperation, professional exchanges and modern policing practices.
The discussions emphasised information sharing, training opportunities and collaboration on transnational crime investigations.
It is a follow-up to IGP Yohuno’s visit to New York last year to hold bilateral discussions over collaboration between the two in many areas.
Plenary
During a plenary meeting, the NYPD delegation and POMAB extensively discussed contemporary policing challenges and opportunities for cooperation between the two departments.
The dialogue centred on several core themes relevant to modern law enforcement.
Both sides exchanged perspectives on the employment of technology in policing, including data-driven policing models, digital investigative tools, and integrated intelligence platforms used to support operational decision-making.
They also discussed officer safety and welfare, emphasising the importance of training, equipment and institutional support systems that protect officers, while enhancing operational effectiveness.
Another significant component of the discussions addressed police accountability within a democratic dispensation.
The NYPD delegation shared experiences and institutional practices regarding transparency, internal oversight and community trust, while the GPS leadership highlighted reforms and accountability mechanisms within Ghana’s policing framework.
Working engagements
POMAB also conducted the NYPD delegation round several operational units of the police service.
The team met with senior officials from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the INTERPOL Accra National Central Bureau, and the Police Intelligence Directorate, where discussions focused on investigative cooperation, intelligence coordination, and the evolving threat landscape regarding transnational criminal activities.
The delegation also toured the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) at the Police Headquarters, receiving a briefing on Ghana’s integrated command and control capabilities used to coordinate nationwide policing operations, incident response, and intelligence monitoring.
One of the most forward-looking outcomes of the visit was the discussion between the IGP and POMAB regarding officer exchange programmes between the two institutions.
The leadership discussed the placement of a senior NYPD detective at the GPS Headquarters in Accra, as well as embedding a senior Ghana Police Service officer within the NYPD Intelligence Bureau in New York.
The proposed exchanges are intended to deepen operational collaboration, strengthen investigative partnerships, and build institutional familiarity between the two departments.
Call on minister
In addition to engagements within the GPS, the NYPD delegation held courtesy meetings with the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, and the leadership of the National Intelligence Bureau, led by its Director-General, Charles Alhassan Kipo.
Their discussions focused on national security coordination, intelligence sharing, and broader cooperation between Ghanaian and US law enforcement and security partners.
The delegation also paid a courtesy call on the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Accra, Rolf Olson.
The visit represents a continuation of growing cooperation between the GPS and the NYPD.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh