Accra, June 30, GNA - Mr Bernard Guyir Dery, Assistant Commissioner of Police on Thursday advised Police officers to take exceptional interest in moulding the character of recruits to meet the required standard.

"It is the type of training you give to recruits that would determine the calibre of Policemen and Policewomen the country is going to produce in the future," he said.

Mr Dery was speaking at the passing out ceremony of 17 Drill Instructors drawn from various Police Training Schools throughout the country.

The Drill Instructors have the responsibility of training recruits into desirable, disciplined and all-round Policemen and Policewomen to enable them to discharge their duties with commitment. Mr Dery noted that there was a drop in physical fitness, mental alertness and discipline in the contemporary enlisted Police Officer hence the need for the drill instruction programme. Participants were taken through topics including: "Method of Instruction in Drill"; "Funeral and Ceremonial Drill"; "Unit Administration"; "Ability to Instruct"; "Barracks Hygiene and Sanitation and General Knowledge".

Mr Dery said the sort of drill instruction the recruit was taken through impacted on his or her general performance and comportment and urged the Drill Instructors to ensure that personnel were well drilled, mentally alert and disciplined.

"You are going to serve as role models to the people you train. It, therefore, behoves you to put on the best of attitude worthy of copying; you should also be concerned about recruits mode of dressing, hair-cut and physical appearance," he said.

He announced that the Police Administration would encourage Drill Instructors by instituting an award scheme to honour those, who distinguished themselves.

Mr Dery urged the Instructors to package the drill regime in a way as to excite interest, saying, "Drills must be accepted and not repugnant".