Bawumia commends Police Service for professionalism

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has commended the Police Service for its high level of professionalism in recent times.

“I am particularly touched by the recent visit of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and his management team to the families and victims of the recent tragic accident at East Legon in Accra, which claimed the lives of two innocent young ladies,” he said.

Dr Bawumia was addressing the graduation of 430 police cadet officers at the Police Training School at Tesano, in Accra, yesterday.

He, therefore, urged the graduating class to learn from the police leadership and conduct themselves accordingly when deployed.

“Gone are the days when the police were the butt of everyone’s joke for unprofessional conduct. I watch in amazement as the Ghana Police Service, under extreme provocation from recent demonstrators, maintained their discipline and professionalism.

“It was not so long ago, we have long memories; need I remind some people that peaceful protesters were met with extreme brutality with batons and whips.

“Today, we have a new police service that we are all proud of. One that understands that maintaining law and order does not mean brutalising citizens, one that understands that it is a service for the people, one that understands that they are here to serve and not to lord it over others, and one that understands that security is a shared responsibility and must be done hand in hand with the community,” the Vice-President said.

Parade

The Vice-President, who was the reviewing officer, watched in admiration how the 430 graduating officers carried out foot drills of slow and quick marches, as they received applause from the guests.

During their six months training, they were taken through contemporary police management and administration, criminal investigation, practical police duties, high risk operation training and community engagement strategies.

Dr Bawumia congratulated the officers on the impressive display of drill-craft which, he said, demonstrated the hard work, discipline and determination put in by both the officers and their trainers.

“Beyond the physical development, the expansion of the class size of the course intake has also brought great opportunity to all service personnel,” he said, adding that the current class of 430 officers was the largest in the history of the Police Service.

“The reforms also include the teaching and learning methods as well. There has been a paradigm shift in the training regime of cadet officers at the academy,” he said.

Dr Bawumia said the class was also earning a postgraduate diploma in security studies from the University of Cape Coast.

Achiburi Issah was adjudged the Overall Best Cadet Officer.

Infrastructure

On infrastructure, he said the government had supported the police with a training school, many facilities and equipment.

Dr Bawumia mentioned 630 new housing units in Accra, 720 new vehicles, 5,150 motorcycles and four new bricks police stations, one of which he said was inaugurated early this year in Kwahu Asakraka in the Eastern Region, as some of the projects.

Others are the Police Headquarters in Wa in the Upper West Region, and Kasoa in the Central Region, as well as the setting up of a Police Emergency Medical Intervention Fund with seed money of $1million to provide emergency medical attention for the police.

So far, he said more than 20 police officers had received specialist medical care both in the country and across the world.

Elections

On the forthcoming December 7 general election, the Vice-President said the country had held successful elections since 1992, and gave an assurance that this year’s polls would not be different.

“We as a nation have become good at it, with the police at the centre of the election security task force, the country is assured of a successful polls,” he added.

Dr Bawumia, however, cautioned against complacency because every election presents its own nuances.

He entreated the electorate, including political actors to support the police in the discharge of their duties as they work towards the maintenance of law and order before, during and after the elections.