Koforidua, Dec. 18, GNA - One hundred and thirty-four general police recruits including 25 women, on Wednesday passed out at the Police Training Depot at Koforidua with a call on them to let discipline be their watch-word if they wanted to stand out as Police officers. The Commissioner of Police in-charge of Human Resources Development of the Ghana Police Service, Mr. Paul Quaye, who made the call as the Reviewing Officer, reminded them that since they had a duty to help instil discipline into the society, they had no moral justification to do this if they themselves were not disciplined.

According to him, of late, there had been instances of the involvement of police officers in crimes of all descriptions, which he said had brought disgrace to the Service as a body.

He warned that "if there is any amongst you whose motive of joining the police service is to use the uniform as a cover up for his/her criminal activities, that person should begin to have a change of mind now, for he/she would surely be found out and severely dealt with."

Mr. Quaye advised the recruits not to live lifestyles that would lead them to contract the HIV/AIDS, since "AIDS is real and is no respecter of persons." He told them that they would serve an 18-month period of probation, at the end of which officers under whom they serve would submit reports in respect of their performances before being confirmed. The overall best recruits award of baton went to General Recruit Kafui Kugblenu. General Recruit Fred Kwame Gyasi was adjudged the best in academics, with General Recruit Bertha Aboagye Yeboah receiving the Best Conduct award and the Best Marksman award went to General Recruit lbrahim M.A. Wumpuni. Among those present was the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Gustav Narh Dometey.