Blame drivers for police corrupt practices- Police PRO

The Ghana Police Service might have gained notoriety for being one of the most corrupt institutions in the country; but Acting Public Affairs Director of the service, DSP Cephas Arthur says the cause of the perceived corruption is because the police¹s work is mostly public.

³It is because we are in constant contact with the people at all times. Everybody travels and when the bad police officer stands at the roadside and takes the bribe, everybody sees it; but that officer in that corporate organizations who is taking the big money; nobody sees it², he said this, according to him ³not to justify what some recalcitrant and miscreants police officers are doing, but to set the record straight; which is ³the police might not be the most corrupt institution.

He however said the service is constantly sprucing up the institution of these miscreants; citing the image cleansing campaign launched about two years ago.

DSP also extended a hand of blame to motorists who willingly offer bribes to police officers to avoid being arrested after breaking the laws.

³Assuming that you are a driver and you committed a motor traffic offence and you knew that having committed that offence if you are sent to court, you will pay about six million. Wouldn¹t you be happy to offer the policeman about 50, 20 or 10 Ghana cedi so that you are let go?²

³You will be willing, and knowing full well the implication of your offence, when the policeman tries to process you for court, you will also be trying your best to offer him something to leave you. If you give him two hundred thousand there to avoid paying six million, how much profit do you earn², he questioned.

According to him drivers have always applauded police officers if they succeed in greasing their palm; stressing, ³the miscreants officers are being motivated by the perpetrators²

But in time, DSP Cephas Arthur remains optimistic that the public¹s negative perception about the service will be corrected.

³There have been occasion where we have arrested our own officers and paraded them in the media. They are all part of the merges to check and repair our image².