Police Professional Standards Bureau Strengthened – IGP

The Police administration has strengthened its Professional Standards Bureau and the Inspections Unit to investigate all reports and allegations of corruption, misuse of power and other aberrations that negate the image of the service.

This is because the Service will not countenance indiscipline and unprofessional conduct, or allow the indiscretions of few miscreant officers to mar efforts at raising the image of the Service.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) David Asante-Appeatu, said it was for that reason that the Service recently reviewed its Service Instruction to address challenges and to propel it into a world class Police Service.

The IGP gave the hint in a speech read on his behalf by Commissioner of Police (COP) George Alex Mensah, Director of Police Operations, at the graduation ceremony for officers of “Senior Command Course Seven” held at the Ghana Police Command and Staff College at Winneba.

Fifty-five senior Police officers including seven females were ushered into another phase of their career, bringing the senior police officers trained at the Command and Staff College since its inception in 2013 to a total of 819.

He tasked personnel of the Service particularly, senior officers to thoroughly familiarise themselves with the revised Police Service Instruction together with its comprehensive communication strategy and make reference to them when necessary.

“The two documents, he said were designed to ensure cordial relationship between the Police Service and the public and that it would increase accountability and promote community safety if well utilised.

“My advice to you is that, as long as you remain police officers, do not let these documents depart from you. Continue to study them and teach your subordinates. Above all, let these documents guide you in the performance of your Police duties,” he advised the officers.

The IGP described the revision of the instruction as apt, adding that it was necessary to sharpen the analytical and decision-making skills as well as equip officers with requisite competencies to deal with upsurge in political vigilantism, kidnapping and physical attacks on police officers.

He reminded the senior officers of the high expectations of the public who were expecting creative and innovative ways of dealing with security threats emanating from armed robbery, galamsey, cybercrime, mob justice, among others.

He challenged the senior officers to ensure that their operational strategies to deal with such challenges were underscored by the training they had received, saying, “let the training you have received come to play in your efforts to prevent and detect crime”.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Oscar Kofi Amevenku, Acting Commandant of the Command and Staff College, said the officers acquired knowledge and expertise in Service writing, Police Operational Strategies and Police Investigation during the five-week training.

Others were, Emerging security issues, Leadership, Police Management and Managing the media. He was optimistic that the core values of discipline, integrity, competence of character and professionalism, would guide them in achieving laurels for themselves, the Police Service and the country as a whole.

In her valedictory address, the Course Senior Student, Chief Superintendent of Police, Brown Mercy Wilson, expressed gratitude to the Police administration for the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge required in the discharge of their duties.

She underscored the importance of capacity building to the development of every institution and recounted how the course had broaden their horizon and improved their professional competencies in leadership and management skills.