THE GHANA POLICE SERVICE
PART 2
Over the years, we have come to terms with an institution that is a stinking morass
where rottenness and decadence meet. As we all know, the police is one of the
important organs of a State especially, in the prevention of crime and the
maintenance and enforcement of law and order. Without the police, the society
would probably descend into chaos and anarchy hence, the police institution is
critical to the realisation of a just, peaceful and progressive society. As a nation, we
need to collectively develop an ambitious plan for reform which will be aimed at
transforming the Ghana Police Service into a modern, efficient and effective
institution which will be responsive to the needs and expectations of the Ghanaian
citizenry. The Ghana Police Service is in need of a thorough and comprehensive
reform that will equip, enable and motivate officers to fulfil their constitutional roles.
This reform is urgently needed to restore the credibility and integrity of the police.
The reform should aim at putting in place an effective police system with competent,
courageous, committed and incorruptible officers. The fundamental issue is
recognition by the police service that they need to change their orientation and
engage in democratic reform of the institution. We need a Police Service that is well
motivated, people friendly, open, accountable, relaxed and honest with itself and the
public.
In order for us to have a modern police service, we need to undertake a
comprehensive reform right through the Ghana Police Service. More often than not,
reforms undertaken in Ghana could be at best termed as ‘cosmetic reforms’ because,
they are not far reaching enough due to the protection of vested interests. If we are
to achieve an efficient, effective, transparent and modern police service, then any
reforms by government should by nature be far reaching and comprehensive. As a
nation, we need a stakeholder forum to decide the kind of police service we so
desire. I strongly do believe that, a Presidential Committee should be set up and
challenged with the task of reforming the Ghana Police Service to adequately
prepare it for the challenges of modern policing. The Presidential Committee should
among other things be tasked with strengthening the capacity of the police service to
maintain law and order in the society, tasked with the responsibility of examining the
current state of the security outfit and review all previous efforts, reports, and
Government White Papers on the reorganization, restructuring and repositioning of
the Ghana Police Service. Such a reform is long overdue considering the current
working conditions members of the police service are subjected to on a daily basis. I
believe that, what the police service need right now is total revamping and complete
overhaul of all its structures..
The primary functions of the Ghana Police Service are those stipulated in Section 1 of
the Police Force Act, 1970 (Act 350). It states that “It shall be the duties of the
Police Force to prevent and detect crime, to apprehend offenders and to maintain
public order and safety of persons and properties. Clearly, the roles and functions of
the Ghana Police Service should be broadened and redefined to include among
others; the environment, the support of victims of crimes and disorder, observing
and protection of citizens’ human rights, prompt response to call for assistance by
citizens in distress and protection of animals. The laws that set out the functions,
powers and philosophy of the police and policing in Ghana must be reviewed and
made clearer.
There should be an improvement in salary and compensation levels for the men and
women of the Ghana Police Service. Policemen and women must be well paid in
order for them to perform effectively, efficiently and honestly. The men and women
should be motivated through proper pay, transport and living conditions. There
should be proper schemes of work covering medical, education, car loans etc for the
men and women of the police service. There should be an improvement in
accommodation, food and allowances for the officers and their families especially, for
those in the remote stations. In fact, they must be paid higher than most other
workers in the country and then, they will hopefully turn their backs on bribery and
extortion. With the wealth of this country, it is amazing policemen in Ghana are still
not well-paid accordingly. It is a shame really. We are talking about security of life
and property everyday but, the pay of the police service is still not being addressed
and probably, politicians are stealing millions of dollars. Welfare of the police is
paramount because, a nation can only get the type of police it can pay for.
The men and women of the Ghana Police Service must be trained and equipped
properly. I do not know what they teach them at the Police College but, one thing I
am sure about is that, they do not teach them that their profession is a noble one
and their remit is to protect and serve the Ghanaian public. There should be a
provision for continued education and training of officers on a regular basis through
the establishment of short courses which will serve to boost their morale, confidence
and efficiency. There should be continuous assessment of officers through on the job
training and class based assessment. The Ghana Police Service can collaborate with
the polytechnics, universities and GIMPA to establish courses to train police
personnel in areas such as health, safety and emergency care, criminology, forensic
investigation, information technology and the police, interagency approaches to
police work, criminal justice and human rights, gender mainstreaming, democratic
policing and trans-national crime such as organised crime and money laundering.
Every police officer should be first-aid trained. There should be a higher entry
qualifications for recruits and people of integrity should be recruited into the police
service. More graduates should be trained.
The Ghana Police Service should be adequately equipped. They should move from
analog to digital communication systems. They should be equipped with modern
quality weapons and adequately trained to use these weapons. Additionally, they
must get bullet proof vests, surveillance equipment, CCTVs, hand held equipments
such as ‘walkie talkies’, vehicles, police dogs, motocycles and bicycles. We should
also consider computerization of police work especially in the regional capitals as
a start and a must. The Ghana Police Service needs a national fingerprint and DNA
database and national database for convicted people.. This is a must in modern day
policing.
We must have more police per head of population. We simply do not have enough
police personnel in Ghana. However, there should be a very strict code on
recruitment in order to avoid the situation of recruiting and putting criminals in
uniforms on our streets. The Ghana Police Service should weed out corruption in the
recruitment process. The current system is tinged with too much corruption. Avoid
tribalism in police recruitment.
The best way of filling the position of IGP and top positions within the Ghana Police
Service is by recruiting the best person for the job and that means those who can
demonstrate their individual capability for getting the job done. The IGP and the top
brass of the police service should be made to go through a very rigorous assessment
and interview process. They should be giving job specifications and in the case of
the IGP, a specific mandate to reform, a target to achieve and a renewable contract
based on performance and service delivery. He should be appraised every six months
and rewarded adequately if he achieves his targets. All regional and district
commanders should go through an interview process before been appointed. There
should be an introduction of a performance bench marks for every police officer
especially those of the rank of a Chief Inspector. There is a need for transparency in
promotions and appointments. An effective evaluation procedure should be
established to guide in the promotion of police officers. Police promotions should be
pegged on educational standard, conduct, knowledge, experience and not based on
long service and discipline. Senior officers of the Ghana Police Service who
consistently fail to meet their stipulated targets should be dismissed from the service.
Frequent (3-5 yearly) transfer and deployment of police countrywide including
remote areas without favouritism. The police service should enforce discipline
directly without resorting to transferring errant officers. Errant officers should be
sacked and not transferred. There should an establishment of a district and
regional police management board to deal with discipline, training, promotions and
transfers. The police service must quit the habit of transferring errant officers to
hardships areas ( transferred from Accra to Damongo) as this is just transferring a
problem. Regularly, an inspection of police stations and personnel by high ranking
police officers in conjunction with the Police Council and the Defence Committee of
Parliament at least twice a year for upgrading of the stations, personnel and
equipment. An introduction of an annual physical and medical tests to keep the
police fit and operational will help them to be combat ready at all times and execute
their duties with perfection.
The Ghana Police Service should hold open days and establish crime awareness
weeks where members of the public will be sensitized by the police on their work.
The police service should have a dedicated school, community and crime liaison
officers. The school liaison officer will visit schools and teach the kids about crime
prevention, how to report a crime, duties of a police officer, how to report corrupt
officers, things to note down when a witness to a crime etc. The duty of a
community liaison officer will be to sensitize the community about crime prevention,
reporting of a crime etc. The job of a crime liaison officer will be to support crime
victims, their families and prepare them as witnesses in court and any additional
support that may be deemed fit. The public relations department of the Ghana
Police Service can run radio and television programmes in which members of the
public are invited and expected to participate either physically or by calling in
through telephone for the purpose of taking advantage of that opportunity to lay
bare their problems and difficulties they have with the police. These programmes
can be aired twice in a month in all public/private radio and television stations
across the country thus, giving Ghanaians opportunities to call in and complain
against any abuse of their rights for immediate response and follow up solution.
I will advocate for a set up of a human rights unit which should be headed by an
Assistant Commissioner of Police. This outfit will primarily respond to issues and
complaints against human rights violations within the police service. It shall be their
prime responsibility to visit all stations, police cells and operational base or
formations to vet the activities of police personnel to ascertain if it is in line with
acceptable human rights practice. Officers found wanting should be arrested and
disciplined and in some cases, such officers should be dismissed and charged to
court.
There should be an establishment of a separate and independent police wing to
deal with misconduct and complaints against the police. Thus, this unit will receive
and investigate public complaints based on police actions and inactions towards
members of the public. Such complaints or allegations raised are handled by the
unit and recommendations filed to the office of the IGP for the necessary action.
Set up independent suggestion boxes.
Develop a stringent anti-corruption agenda within the police service. I will strongly
advocate for the establishment of a covert and highly secretive operational unit
which will report directly to the IGP. The aim of this unit will be to swoop on
police personnel and other civil servants engaged in corruption and other related
offences or crime. When errant officers are caught by this highly specialised unit,
these officers are to be charged and put before court to serve as a deterrent to
others who may want to engage in similar acts or conduct.
Introduce professionalism into the police service and introduce a witness protection
program. Overhaul police attitude and a small committee be set up to build police
image. A centre of excellence be established with the police service through
collaboration with the universities. Empower citizens to report corrupt officers.
Politicians also need to take their hands off the police in order for the police service
to be independent. There is too much politics being played with the police by
irresponsible politicians which has resulted in misery and death for the populace.
Why for example, should the police arrest the girlfriend of a current serving Deputy
Minister and subjected her to a pregnancy test. When a renowned female lawyer
accompanied the poor girl to the office of the IGP and specifically asked the police
hierarchy to educate her on the Constitution and the Criminal Code where it
specifically stipulates that, the police can subject a poor girl to a pregnancy test, the
police were as per the proverbial Ghanaian nature, full of excuses and nothing but
excuses. The police service should serve the interest of the populace and not to
indulge in doing the dirty work of politicians.
It is critical to develop and strengthen a research and analysis capacity. Initial
investments should go to this area. Additionally, the police should open up and
develop relationships with external academicians, researchers and security
analysts so that research carried out on the police, or analysing performance can
be used for mutual benefit. Establish and maintain a committed group of
reformists within the police service, who will spearhead the change at all levels and
in all departments. The commitment and vision of the management is key to
bringing about sustainable change. This group should be involved in the reforms
from today to the long-term to ensure continuity. I support the establishment of an
Independent police Complaints Authority to specifically deal with police shootings
and killings.
The nature of policing in a country not only affects the lives of its citizens but also, is
an indicator of the character of government. Furthermore, police actions have a
profound effect on the vivacity of the political process. As a nation, we deserve to
have a police service that is accountable, transparent and service-oriented.
NANA YAW OSSEI
LONDON, UK.
Email: nyossei@yahoo.com
