THE GHANA POLICE SERVICE

PART 2

Over the years, we have come to terms with an institution that is a stinking morass

where rottenness and decadence meet. As we all know, the police is one of the

important organs of a State especially, in the prevention of crime and the

maintenance and enforcement of law and order. Without the police, the society

would probably descend into chaos and anarchy hence, the police institution is

critical to the realisation of a just, peaceful and progressive society. As a nation, we

need to collectively develop an ambitious plan for reform which will be aimed at

transforming the Ghana Police Service into a modern, efficient and effective

institution which will be responsive to the needs and expectations of the Ghanaian

citizenry. The Ghana Police Service is in need of a thorough and comprehensive

reform that will equip, enable and motivate officers to fulfil their constitutional roles.

This reform is urgently needed to restore the credibility and integrity of the police.

The reform should aim at putting in place an effective police system with competent,

courageous, committed and incorruptible officers. The fundamental issue is

recognition by the police service that they need to change their orientation and

engage in democratic reform of the institution. We need a Police Service that is well

motivated, people friendly, open, accountable, relaxed and honest with itself and the

public.

In order for us to have a modern police service, we need to undertake a

comprehensive reform right through the Ghana Police Service. More often than not,

reforms undertaken in Ghana could be at best termed as ‘cosmetic reforms’ because,

they are not far reaching enough due to the protection of vested interests. If we are

to achieve an efficient, effective, transparent and modern police service, then any

reforms by government should by nature be far reaching and comprehensive. As a

nation, we need a stakeholder forum to decide the kind of police service we so

desire. I strongly do believe that, a Presidential Committee should be set up and

challenged with the task of reforming the Ghana Police Service to adequately

prepare it for the challenges of modern policing. The Presidential Committee should

among other things be tasked with strengthening the capacity of the police service to

maintain law and order in the society, tasked with the responsibility of examining the

current state of the security outfit and review all previous efforts, reports, and

Government White Papers on the reorganization, restructuring and repositioning of

the Ghana Police Service. Such a reform is long overdue considering the current

working conditions members of the police service are subjected to on a daily basis. I

believe that, what the police service need right now is total revamping and complete

overhaul of all its structures..

The primary functions of the Ghana Police Service are those stipulated in Section 1 of

the Police Force Act, 1970 (Act 350). It states that “It shall be the duties of the

Police Force to prevent and detect crime, to apprehend offenders and to maintain

public order and safety of persons and properties. Clearly, the roles and functions of

the Ghana Police Service should be broadened and redefined to include among

others; the environment, the support of victims of crimes and disorder, observing

and protection of citizens’ human rights, prompt response to call for assistance by

citizens in distress and protection of animals. The laws that set out the functions,

powers and philosophy of the police and policing in Ghana must be reviewed and

made clearer.

There should be an improvement in salary and compensation levels for the men and

women of the Ghana Police Service. Policemen and women must be well paid in

order for them to perform effectively, efficiently and honestly. The men and women

should be motivated through proper pay, transport and living conditions. There

should be proper schemes of work covering medical, education, car loans etc for the

men and women of the police service. There should be an improvement in

accommodation, food and allowances for the officers and their families especially, for

those in the remote stations. In fact, they must be paid higher than most other

workers in the country and then, they will hopefully turn their backs on bribery and

extortion. With the wealth of this country, it is amazing policemen in Ghana are still

not well-paid accordingly. It is a shame really. We are talking about security of life

and property everyday but, the pay of the police service is still not being addressed

and probably, politicians are stealing millions of dollars. Welfare of the police is

paramount because, a nation can only get the type of police it can pay for.

The men and women of the Ghana Police Service must be trained and equipped

properly. I do not know what they teach them at the Police College but, one thing I

am sure about is that, they do not teach them that their profession is a noble one

and their remit is to protect and serve the Ghanaian public. There should be a

provision for continued education and training of officers on a regular basis through

the establishment of short courses which will serve to boost their morale, confidence

and efficiency. There should be continuous assessment of officers through on the job

training and class based assessment. The Ghana Police Service can collaborate with

the polytechnics, universities and GIMPA to establish courses to train police

personnel in areas such as health, safety and emergency care, criminology, forensic

investigation, information technology and the police, interagency approaches to

police work, criminal justice and human rights, gender mainstreaming, democratic

policing and trans-national crime such as organised crime and money laundering.

Every police officer should be first-aid trained. There should be a higher entry

qualifications for recruits and people of integrity should be recruited into the police

service. More graduates should be trained.

The Ghana Police Service should be adequately equipped. They should move from

analog to digital communication systems. They should be equipped with modern

quality weapons and adequately trained to use these weapons. Additionally, they

must get bullet proof vests, surveillance equipment, CCTVs, hand held equipments

such as ‘walkie talkies’, vehicles, police dogs, motocycles and bicycles. We should

also consider computerization of police work especially in the regional capitals as

a start and a must. The Ghana Police Service needs a national fingerprint and DNA

database and national database for convicted people.. This is a must in modern day

policing.

We must have more police per head of population. We simply do not have enough

police personnel in Ghana. However, there should be a very strict code on

recruitment in order to avoid the situation of recruiting and putting criminals in

uniforms on our streets. The Ghana Police Service should weed out corruption in the

recruitment process. The current system is tinged with too much corruption. Avoid

tribalism in police recruitment.

The best way of filling the position of IGP and top positions within the Ghana Police

Service is by recruiting the best person for the job and that means those who can

demonstrate their individual capability for getting the job done. The IGP and the top

brass of the police service should be made to go through a very rigorous assessment

and interview process. They should be giving job specifications and in the case of

the IGP, a specific mandate to reform, a target to achieve and a renewable contract

based on performance and service delivery. He should be appraised every six months

and rewarded adequately if he achieves his targets. All regional and district

commanders should go through an interview process before been appointed. There

should be an introduction of a performance bench marks for every police officer

especially those of the rank of a Chief Inspector. There is a need for transparency in

promotions and appointments. An effective evaluation procedure should be

established to guide in the promotion of police officers. Police promotions should be

pegged on educational standard, conduct, knowledge, experience and not based on

long service and discipline. Senior officers of the Ghana Police Service who

consistently fail to meet their stipulated targets should be dismissed from the service.

Frequent (3-5 yearly) transfer and deployment of police countrywide including

remote areas without favouritism. The police service should enforce discipline

directly without resorting to transferring errant officers. Errant officers should be

sacked and not transferred. There should an establishment of a district and

regional police management board to deal with discipline, training, promotions and

transfers. The police service must quit the habit of transferring errant officers to

hardships areas ( transferred from Accra to Damongo) as this is just transferring a

problem. Regularly, an inspection of police stations and personnel by high ranking

police officers in conjunction with the Police Council and the Defence Committee of

Parliament at least twice a year for upgrading of the stations, personnel and

equipment. An introduction of an annual physical and medical tests to keep the

police fit and operational will help them to be combat ready at all times and execute

their duties with perfection.

The Ghana Police Service should hold open days and establish crime awareness

weeks where members of the public will be sensitized by the police on their work.

The police service should have a dedicated school, community and crime liaison

officers. The school liaison officer will visit schools and teach the kids about crime

prevention, how to report a crime, duties of a police officer, how to report corrupt

officers, things to note down when a witness to a crime etc. The duty of a

community liaison officer will be to sensitize the community about crime prevention,

reporting of a crime etc. The job of a crime liaison officer will be to support crime

victims, their families and prepare them as witnesses in court and any additional

support that may be deemed fit. The public relations department of the Ghana

Police Service can run radio and television programmes in which members of the

public are invited and expected to participate either physically or by calling in

through telephone for the purpose of taking advantage of that opportunity to lay

bare their problems and difficulties they have with the police. These programmes

can be aired twice in a month in all public/private radio and television stations

across the country thus, giving Ghanaians opportunities to call in and complain

against any abuse of their rights for immediate response and follow up solution.

I will advocate for a set up of a human rights unit which should be headed by an

Assistant Commissioner of Police. This outfit will primarily respond to issues and

complaints against human rights violations within the police service. It shall be their

prime responsibility to visit all stations, police cells and operational base or

formations to vet the activities of police personnel to ascertain if it is in line with

acceptable human rights practice. Officers found wanting should be arrested and

disciplined and in some cases, such officers should be dismissed and charged to

court.

There should be an establishment of a separate and independent police wing to

deal with misconduct and complaints against the police. Thus, this unit will receive

and investigate public complaints based on police actions and inactions towards

members of the public. Such complaints or allegations raised are handled by the

unit and recommendations filed to the office of the IGP for the necessary action.

Set up independent suggestion boxes.

Develop a stringent anti-corruption agenda within the police service. I will strongly

advocate for the establishment of a covert and highly secretive operational unit

which will report directly to the IGP. The aim of this unit will be to swoop on

police personnel and other civil servants engaged in corruption and other related

offences or crime. When errant officers are caught by this highly specialised unit,

these officers are to be charged and put before court to serve as a deterrent to

others who may want to engage in similar acts or conduct.

Introduce professionalism into the police service and introduce a witness protection

program. Overhaul police attitude and a small committee be set up to build police

image. A centre of excellence be established with the police service through

collaboration with the universities. Empower citizens to report corrupt officers.

Politicians also need to take their hands off the police in order for the police service

to be independent. There is too much politics being played with the police by

irresponsible politicians which has resulted in misery and death for the populace.

Why for example, should the police arrest the girlfriend of a current serving Deputy

Minister and subjected her to a pregnancy test. When a renowned female lawyer

accompanied the poor girl to the office of the IGP and specifically asked the police

hierarchy to educate her on the Constitution and the Criminal Code where it

specifically stipulates that, the police can subject a poor girl to a pregnancy test, the

police were as per the proverbial Ghanaian nature, full of excuses and nothing but

excuses. The police service should serve the interest of the populace and not to

indulge in doing the dirty work of politicians.

It is critical to develop and strengthen a research and analysis capacity. Initial

investments should go to this area. Additionally, the police should open up and

develop relationships with external academicians, researchers and security

analysts so that research carried out on the police, or analysing performance can

be used for mutual benefit. Establish and maintain a committed group of

reformists within the police service, who will spearhead the change at all levels and

in all departments. The commitment and vision of the management is key to

bringing about sustainable change. This group should be involved in the reforms

from today to the long-term to ensure continuity. I support the establishment of an

Independent police Complaints Authority to specifically deal with police shootings

and killings.

The nature of policing in a country not only affects the lives of its citizens but also, is

an indicator of the character of government. Furthermore, police actions have a

profound effect on the vivacity of the political process. As a nation, we deserve to

have a police service that is accountable, transparent and service-oriented.

NANA YAW OSSEI

LONDON, UK.

Email: nyossei@yahoo.com