Confusion has engulfed the Brong Ahafo Regional Police Command following the return of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Robert Ayalingo to his post after he was served with his retirement correspondence.

His return has sparked disquiet in the command structure, with officers grumbling over the confusion, a situation which is threatening morale.

The man who took over from Ayalingo, his former second-in-command, DCOP Isaac Alex Quainoo, would not leave his newfound position because he has not been informed to do so officially; therefore the two could be on an open collision course if the authorities do not intervene.

Information reaching DAILY GUIDE suggests that President John Mahama authorised the extension of service for Robert Ayalingo as part of an election 2012 strategy under which some retired superior officers would be retained.

The Chief Constable, Inspector General Police, Paul Tawiah Quaye, is said to be unaware of the contract to DCOP Ayalingo, with the correspondence covering it emanating from the Interior Ministry.

The IGP is said to have thrown his hands in despair over the unnecessary executive intervention in the Police Administration.

DCOP Ayalingo claimed he was in a meeting when DAILY GUIDE contacted him around 3:15pm with a promise to call back.

At the time of going to press, he had still not called to enable the paper to clear issues with him.

Commissioner of Police Hamidu Mahama of the Police Headquarters and other senior police officers were in the same messy situation in order to do the bidding of the NDC, sources said.

Mr Hamidu was the officer who granted bail to some drug dealers in Takoradi when he was the Western Regional Police Commander, when Araba Tagoe, Western regional NDC women’s organizer, intervened.

Under the provisions of Police Service regulations, retired officers- even when they are offered the privilege of contract under police convention- should not don uniform and should be one rank down.

Under the present disposition, the convention has been breached as Hamidu Mahama is donning the uniform and maintaining his COP rank, raising lots of questions about the ability of the Ghana Police Service as a law enforcement agency to hold their own in check and uphold the law.