The Ghana Police Service on Wednesday assured the general public that Police personnel remained highly professional, and not indulge in lifestyles that would impair their ability to perform their mandate of providing security in the country.

A statement issued in Accra by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Cephas Arthur, Acting Director of Public Affair, said police personnel contrary to a publication in the September 13th edition of The Chronicle were physically fit, mentally alert and sober at all times.

It said “The Chronicle publication captioned ‘90 per cent Policemen are Alcoholics’, which sought to impugn alcoholism to police personnel is a misrepresentation of the fact as given out by the Western Regional Police Command”.

The statement said at a special forum to interact with Police personnel in the Western Region, the Regional Police Medical Officer was allotted a slot on the programme to educate them.

He therefore seized the opportunity to discuss alcoholism, and drew the personnel’s attention to the devastating effect of alcoholism on the body, saying the phenomenon affected the nervous system, which created unsteadiness.

The medical officer enumerated many scenarios to demonstrate the situation, including shaking hands when holding an item, be it a cup of water, a microphone or even a riffle.

The forum was part of series of such meetings the Police Administration has initiated in its outreach programme to sensitise the personnel, and discuss their welfare.

About two weeks ago, the Central Region took its turn, when a Police Schedule Officer from the Headquarters interacted with the personnel on a wide range of issues bothering on operation, welfare and discipline.

As part of it there was a slot for health where a Police Hospital Urologist treated the topic of prostate cancer.

“This is a proactive step the Police Administration has taken to ensure that the welfare of its personnel is taken care of to ensure maximum output,” it added.

The statement appealed to the media to be circumspect in their publication for public consumption, because this could have far reaching negative effect on the nation as a whole.

“It does not really serve anybody’s interest to advertently distort information about a State institution in the media,” it added.