Video showing men in armored vehicle are policemen not vigilantes

The Police Administration has debunked the speculation that some uniformed men in an armoured vehicle are vigilantes.

"The attention of the Police Administration has been drawn to speculations that a video showing Police Officers seated on the Police Armoured Vehicle with registration number GP 2619 is a video of Vigilante's."

In a press release signed by Superintendent Mrs Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, Director of Public Relations and sighted at the Ghana Police Service (GPS) website, said the speculations were untrue and the Administration considers them unfortunate.

It said the persons seen in the video were SWAT officers of the GPS, who were engaged in special operations of a route march in the Upper East Region.

"The brown uniform and headgear worn by some of them are training apparel," it added.

The press release hinted that in view of public enquiries on the police uniforms to be used for this year's Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, the Inspector-General of Police Mr. James Oppong-Boanuh has directed that all Police Officers wear the traditional police uniforms which are in the colours of blue-black, black and police camouflage; be it office or operational wear with the appropriate headgear for police duties.

"Plain clothe officers of the Criminal Investigations and Police Intelligence Departments (CID and PID) will however, wear their approved overt and covert uniforms with their ID cards readily available for identification," it said.

It stated that "The IGP has further directed that no Police Officer wears a beard, except those who have been advised by medical officers not to have a close shave, supported by "Excused Shaving" document".

The public, it advised, should note that any Police Officer who wore any unpermitted clothing for election duties would be engaging in professional misconduct, which is subject to disciplinary proceedings.