Poor conditions cause of unethical behaviour among police officers – DCOP Asiedu

Former Greater Accra Police Commander DCOP Douglas Akrofi Asiedu (Retd) has attributed the exhibition of unethical behaviour among some police personnel in the country to stress and the poor condition of service within the Ghana Police Service.

Speaking on 3FM’s Sunrise morning show, DCOP Asiedu said police personnel in the country lack the basic amenities to work with.

He was commenting on last Thursday’s assault of a customer of Midland Savings and Loans by a police officer; an act that has raised concerns over the kind of training police personnel are taken through in Ghana.

DCOP Akrofi Asiedu who is also a trainer at the Ghana Police Training Academy said Ghana adopted and uses the British system of police training.

“They [British] have so many gadgets the world over that helps them, and we do not have that. What the British Police man will get, we don’t have; their salary, accommodation system, infrastructure, we do not have that,” he noted.

“The Ghanaian Police lacks many things as compared to the British also long working hours and political interference makes policing here in Ghana a bit challenging,” he added.

According to the former Regional Commander, although personnel of the Ghana Police Service are taken through training, the lack of the training after the personnel have been recruited into the Service is also a major cause of issues a violation of ethics in the profession.

“After the passing out from the Police academy, it is the responsibility of the District Commanders to give them welfare training to have their minds on the work as officers.

“After the passing out from the Police Academy, it is the responsibility of the District Commanders to give them welfare training to have their minds on the work as officers,” he underscored.

Though he said Ghanaian police officers are given the same training as that of other jurisdictions in the world, policing in Ghana is different in Ghana because of the lack of proper working conditions and continuous training.

DCOP Asiedu said government ought to provide the necessary accoutrements needed by the Ghana Police Service to enhance the Service.

He further charged the Police administration to ensure that continuous training sessions are done for particularly young officers and others already in the Service, at least once every month, to ensure efficiency in the force.