Tragedy hits police - UN Examiner injured

Tragedy hit the Police Headquarters last Friday when a United Nations peace-keeping examiner was driven into a tree by a prospective peace-keeper.

The American examiner, Juan Olivia, is presently recuperating at the SSNIT Guest House instead of the Police Hospital. She reportedly suffered a deep-cut on the forehead and weakened teeth.

Our investigations at the Police Headquarters and the Police College revealed that three United Nations peace-keeping examiners, led by a Senegalese, arrived in the country on September 2 to conduct interviews of police personnel for UN duties in Kosovo, Bosnia and East Timor.

The other two experts are from Canada and the United States of America.

Prior to their arrival, over 400 police personnel were taken through a one week orientation course in audio/visual comprehension and theory in vehicle handling techniques. On Friday, when the driving test on 4 x 4 Pick-up entered the second day at the back of the Police Headquarters, policewoman Sergeant Gladys Dankwah from the Achimota Village station mounted vehicle No. GP 1048 with Olivia, as her examiner. She reversed the vehicle and was weaving between cone obstacles when at a terrific speed she lost control and run into a big ‘Onyina’ tree.

What could not be established was whether the instructor was in her seatbelt because speculations are that if she were wearing the seat belt she would not have hit the head against the dashboard that resulted in the multiple injury to the forehead and teeth.

Information filtering in stated that as Olivia sensed danger, she bent to pull the hand-break but was a shade late before the loud impact.

An ambulance rushed the two of them to the Police Hospital where Sgt. Dankwah was admitted but Olivia was referred to the 37 Military Hospital for a dental check up.

The instructor preferred to go to her SSNIT Guest House and take treatment from there prior to being treated at either the Police Hospital or the 37 Military Hospital.

Sgt. Dankwah was discharged in the morning of Saturday but returned in the evening as she complained of abdominal pains.

Investigations also unveiled that aside of the 90% of the selection for such UN duties which is based on favouritism rather than merit, the orientation course also lack one basic thing.

That is refusal of the Police Administration to provide personnel with practical handling of four-wheel drive vehicles, rather than concentrate on the theoretical aspect of the driving.

Further enquiries disclosed that irregularity has corroded the manner selections are made. Allegations are that the scheduled officers were made to provide five favourites and this has culminated in some personnel attending more than twice whereas a large number never tasted these duties considered the only conglomerate in the Police Service. Signals meant selections from stations remained at only district offices and even selections are at the discretion of district commanders.

A couple of police personnel interviewed on the issue said the accident could have been prevented if the right people are selected.

An inside source at the Police College hinted that the fact that one possesses a driving license does not mean that one is a qualified driver.

According to the source, some driving license holders can not move the vehicle during the test.

The source, therefore, called on the Police Administration to digress a little from the “whom you know” attitude and embark on a policy to enable at least, 90% of police personnel attend peace-keeping duties.

This, the source said, can be done if the orientation course suggested by Chief Superintendent Ken Yeboah, a Ghanaian who headed a UN Peace-keeping school, could be intensified, it will at the same time minimise corruption in the service.