The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, has reminded personnel of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) of their limits as law enforcement officers.
He has, therefore, cautioned them against acts such as unlawful arrest, search and detention in the discharge of their duties.
Mr Alhassan indicated that respect for others, compassion, honesty, courage, attention to duty and adherence to the law, regulations and procedures were what a disciplined policeman and woman were expected to exhibit.
The IGP was speaking at the graduation parade of 491 general recruits at the National Police Training School in Accra yesterday.
Present at the ceremony were top government officials and police commanders, including the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo.
Awards were presented to young recruits who had excelled in various disciplines during the training programme.
Get-rich-quick
The IGP also cautioned the personnel against the get-rich-quick attitude through extortion of monies, bribery, corruption and other forms of unprofessional conduct, since that could lead to their dismissal and imprisonment.
He further observed that such negative tendencies had over the years hampered the progress of the service.
As part of measures to curb indiscipline in the police, Mr Alhassan said 58 personnel were dismissed while the ranks of 35 others were reduced as punishment for unprofessional conduct last year.
“We intend to continue to put in place strong mechanisms to check the work and operations of personnel whose conduct might damage the image of the police service,” he stated.
Prison escape
Mr Alhassan attributed the recent escape of suspected criminals from custody to sheer negligence and poor supervision on the part of the commanders and gave an assurance that all those found culpable in ongoing investigations would be dealt with.
“We also want to serve notice that all personnel who would be found culpable in the ongoing investigations relating to the recent incidents of prisoners’ escape would be sanctioned appropriately in accordance with our rules,” he said.
According to him, poor leadership and supervision, weak commitment and loyalty to the service from the middle management had been a daunting challenge, adding that “it is accounting for several negative, unprofessional and even criminal acts being exhibited by some personnel of the service”.
<<Print>>