Ashanti police adequately prepared for the elections

The Ashanti Regional Police Command is adequately prepared to provide the needed security and protection to all residents before, during and after the elections.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Augustine Gyening, the Regional Police Commander, who stated this, said personnel were firmly equipped with professional skills and training to sufficiently provide security and protection at all levels before, during and after the elections to the satisfaction of all Ghanaians and the international community.

He was speaking at the closing of a one-week intensive public order management course, organised by the police administration for 86 personnel of the Rapid Deployment Force in Kumasi on Saturday.

The course, which was supported by the German and French governments, is aimed at providing them with the requisite skills, knowledge and professional approach on public order management for the upcoming elections.

It was also to prepare them mentally, physically and psychologically to provide requisite security on crowd related violence to ensure peaceful and successful electioneering process.

Among the topics treated during the training were human rights and the use of force in crowd control as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, the use of fire arms in crowd control by the police on violent and recalcitrant riotous mob and ring leaders in accordance with the 1992 Constitution and Service Instruction (SI) 97 of the Police Service.

They also undertook basic field and simulation exercises on problem solving related to elections violent as well as procedures on graduation in the use of force from minimum to maximum force.

Mr. Gyening pointed out that the operational field deployment and tactical intervention skills acquired would enable the officers to carry out their duties strictly on procedures and not trial and error basis.