Reports of the involvement of personnel of the Ghana Police Service in criminal activities in recent times must be very frustrating to the current Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ernest Owusu Poku, who has amply demonstrated his determination to improve conditions in the service and redeem the image of the profession.
Policemen have been cited in recent times for their active involvement in armed robbery or collusion with armed robbers, among several other crimes.
It is common knowledge that the image of the Police Service sank very low under the previous NDC administration, especially when policemen were deployed to shoot at demonstrating students on the campuses of the University of Ghana and the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS).
The result was the erosion of the public confidence in the Police Service.
It, therefore, came as no surprise when the current IGP and his team instituted a number of measures to redeem the image of the Police Service and regain the confidence of the public.
The efforts of Alhaji Asuma Banda and later the Nnoboa Foundation at assisting to equip the Police Service to carry out their tasks efficiently stem from the growing confidence of the public in the police.
It is against this background of positive development within the Police Service that the Ghanaian Chronicle views with much concern the reported arrest of some policemen in connection with the use of police ambulances in the smuggling of goods.
The Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) early this week arrested two police ambulances at the Ningo Junction in which were hidden a number of smuggled items.
This unfortunate incident which no doubt goes to sabotage the efforts of the IGP is a clear indication that there are some police personnel who are bent on doing acts to soil the reputation of the Ghana Police Service.
The Ghanaian Chronicle expects the police administration to deal swiftly and decisively with these criminal elements within their ranks to serve as deterrent to others yet unidentified and also as a mean of retaining the growing confidence of the public in the Police Service.
