Unprofessional conduct by Police won’t be condoned – Ambrose Dery warns

Minister-designate for the Interior, Ambrose Dery has served notice he would not superintend over or condone unprofessional conduct and inhumane practices by personnel of the Ghana Police.

At his vetting by Parliament’s Appointment Committee Saturday, Mr Dery said the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government would ensure that the country’s security agencies, particularly the Police operates within the law “It has been stated clearly that security agencies under His Excellency the president will operate within the law, within the context of the human rights of the suspects.”

Responding to a question by the Committee on what he would do to prevent suspects being kept in custody beyond the constitutionally mandated 48 hours among other unprofessional practices, he said would expect the Police to do its work professionally.

Ghana’s Police have in recent times been criticised for some of their excesses, including disregard for human rights, in the discharge of their duties. Some personnel have also been arrested and prosecuted for variuous unprofessional conducts, armed robbery, extortion among other criminal offences.

But Mr Dery has assured Ghanaians he has the full backing of the President to ensure professionalism among the personnel of the Police, vowing that if approved, his leadership would insist that the Police operate within the law.

“A suspect is a suspect until convicted and we expect the security services, the Police and all those concerned to professionally do their work.

“If there is the need to detain somebody beyond 48 hours, it can only be on the direction of a court. We will insist they respect the law, respect the rights of suspect until they are convicted,” he stated.

Mr Dery further said he would ensure that the Police officers who mount road checkpoints ostensibly to extort financial gains from drivers is reduced, saying he would try to reduce working towards eliminating the abuse of the system.

He said, as part of his drive to ensure professionalism, there will be further retraining of personnel “to enhance our police to act professionally