132 policemen complete training on handling of election related violence

Some 132 personnel of the Ghana Police Service, including two senior officers, have completed an intensive one-week training on Public Order Management at the Rapid Deployment Force in Takoradi.

Speaking at the closing ceremony on Saturday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Ransford Moses Ninson, Western Regional Police Commander, said the training was to equip the policemen with the requisite skills, knowledge and professional approach on public order management for the upcoming elections.

He said the course would enable the participants to effectively and professionally handle crowd related violence in accordance with international standards of policing to ensure peaceful and violent free elections.

"It is certain that the skills acquired would sufficiently provide the policemen with crowd control skills to provide security before, during and after the elections to the satisfaction of all Ghanaians and the international community as a whole," DCOP Ninson said.

He said the training was basically field and simulation exercises on problem solving related to election violence.

Topics treated included Human Rights; Use of Force in Crowd Control as Enshrined in the 1992 Constitution; the Use of Fire Arms in Crowd Control by Police on Violent and Recalcitrant Riotous Mob and Ring Leaders, in accordance with the Constitution.