Abstract:
The study sought to investigate and describe the nature of Public Relations practice in
the Ghana Police Service. This followed the limited assessment of the nature of Public
Relations practice within the Service by previous studies. The study is qualitative in
nature and data was taken from interviews using a semi-structured interview guide
while the coorientation theory and Public Relations roles theory were employed for
the analysis of the nuances of Public Relations practice in the Service. Findings of the
study reveal that even though Public Relations is visibly seen to be located at
management on the organisational chart of the Police Service, the practitioners sit in
management meetings merely as “observers” since the management function role of
the Public Relations practitioners has been relegated to the background. The study
confirmed that although the Public Relations practitioners employed both two-way
and one-way methods of communication, the practitioners were gradually gravitating
more towards the use of two-way communication which is seen in Public Relations as
the best approach to engaging the publics of an organisation. The study concludes that
although the Public Relations units of the Ghana Police Service have been fraught
with huge challenges, the police Public Relations officers have always been at the
fore-front in communicating the rules of engagement of the service to its numerous
publics.
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA
STUDIES, FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATION AND
COMMUNICATION, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE
STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION WINNEBA, IN PARTIAL
FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF
MASTER’S OF PHILOSOPHY (BUSINESS COMMUNICATION DEGREE).
JULY,