A senior delegation from the New York City Police Department (NYPD), led by Chief of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Roberto Rios, has concluded a high-level visit to Accra to advance operational cooperation with the Ghana Police Service (GPS), covering technology-driven policing, intelligence sharing, and a proposed officer exchange programme.
The visit was a reciprocal gesture following Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno’s own earlier trip to New York, and was received by Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak as a demonstration of the strong mutual interest both countries share in strengthening policing expertise.
The delegation held formal discussions with IGP Yohuno and the Police Management Board (POMAB) at the Police Headquarters in Accra, where talks focused on data-driven policing models, digital investigative tools, and integrated intelligence platforms. The team also toured the Joint Operations Centre at Police Headquarters, receiving a briefing on Ghana’s integrated command and control system used to coordinate nationwide police operations and incident response.
Working sessions were held with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the INTERPOL Accra National Central Bureau, and the Police Intelligence Directorate, focusing on investigative cooperation and responses to evolving transnational crime threats.
A proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions was reviewed during the visit. The framework is expected to facilitate information sharing, expanded training opportunities, and joint investigations into transnational criminal networks.
Among the most significant proposals to emerge from the talks was a formal officer exchange arrangement. Under the plan, the NYPD would assign an officer to the Ghana Police Service headquarters in Accra through its International Liaison Unit, while the Ghana Police Service would post a liaison officer to the NYPD’s Regional Intelligence Support Centre in New York.
The delegation also called on Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak and National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) Director-General Charles Alhassan Kipo, where discussions addressed national security coordination and bilateral intelligence cooperation. A courtesy call was also paid on Chargé d’Affaires Rolf Olson at the United States Embassy in Accra, covering broader bilateral security partnerships.
Chief Rios assured Ghana of the NYPD’s continued cooperation as both institutions work toward formalising the framework for sustained engagement.
