Police Service wins hearts of CHRI for joining IPCC advocacy

The Ghana Police Service (GPS) has earned the praises of Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), Africa Office, for taking what has been described by many as an unusually bold step to join the advocacy for the establishment of an Independent Police Complaint Commission (IPCC).

The CHRI sees the move as refreshing, particularly in the light of mounting public concerns of abuse of authority and office by some police officers.

A statement signed and issued in Accra by the Regional Coordinator, CHRI Africa office, Ms Mina Mensah says: “CHRI is particularly happy that calls it has been making for the setting up of an independent civilian police complaints authority to deal with public complaints against the police since 2005 when it began advocating for reforms in the GPS and which it has continued to date is being acknowledged and supported by the GPS.”

“We especially wish to commend the IGP Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan for showing leadership and seeing wisdom in calls made over the years not only by CHRI but other CSOs and actually taking practical steps to ensure that the GPS puts in place structures that will position it to be more accountable to the public it has committed to serve with integrity,” the statement noted.

The purpose of setting up civilian oversight mechanisms, the statement explains: “…is to ensure that complaints against the Police will not be influenced in a biased manner particularly by the police on one hand and the executive on the other. Independence is therefore determined by the extent to which the body is at arms- length from the executive and the police.”

CHRI believes that being an independent complaint body, the IPCC should be able to function efficiently and effectively without any form of interference.

However, it cautions that situating the IPCC within the Ministry of Interior will place it under the supervision of the Minister and could compromise the IPCC's independence. This may hinder the IPP's ability to adequately perform the functions assigned it.

Some of the best examples in civilian oversight in respect of similar bodies can be found in Commonwealth countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Jamaica and Australia, where except for South Africa which uses its Human Rights Commission; IPPCs are independent bodies in their own right.

The CHRI therefore recommends that the proposed IPCC be a separate entity from the Ministry of Interior contrary to the Police's position. Such an arrangement, the statement thinks, will make the Ghana Police Service more accountable for its actions and inactions and thereby lead to an enhanced public safety and trust.