Expose colleagues who tarnish image of profession - IGP

Accra, June 27, GNA - Mr Patrick Kwateng Acheampong, Inspector General of Police, on Monday charged Police Officers to expose their colleagues whose doings tarnished the image of the law enforcement profession. "Expose the few who tarnish the image and bring the Service into disrepute," he said. "Assist Commanders to investigate any allegations by providing information that you become aware of. The few bad nuts are people who live amongst you and they are known to some of you," he said. The Police Chief said this when he paid a working visit to the Regional Police Headquarters in Accra on Monday.

Mr Acheampong listed allegations, which tended to affect the image of the Service, such as Police Officers acting in concert with land guards to protect properties of their relatives and friends, Officers acting as debt collectors in purely civil cases, extortion and general indiscipline.

"My Administration will not condone any of the aforementioned illegalities. Anyone caught indulging in acts of indiscipline will be firmly dealt with in accordance with the relevant Service instructions and Police Service Disciplinary Regulations."

Mr Acheampong noted that misdeeds of a few bad nuts continued to embarrass the Government and the Police Administration and were a source of worry to the public. He urged all to help to build a useful Police Service for the nation while the Government and the Police Council continued to explore avenues to improve the conditions of service of the personnel and also to provide them with other logistics to enhance their operations.

Mr Acheampong noted the commitment and loyalty with which most Officers were working, saying that the Administration was grateful for their zeal and industry and would continue to support them. He commended Officers in the Accra Region for their dedication and good works in combating armed robbery in the capital and acknowledged the support given by the Armed Forces, and Ghana Armed Forces High Command in the fight against armed robbery as manifested in the joint Police/Military patrols.

Mr Acheampong declared: "It is my firm belief and sincere wish that our cooperation will be better nourished and thus help us to achieve a more secure and crime free nation."

Mr Douglas Akrofi Asiedu, Greater Accra Police Commander, in his welcoming address said there was relative peace in the capital and that the Police were on top of the crime situation.