President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has declared that the Ghana Police Service and all the other national security agencies are poised to deal with the internal security threats in certain parts of the country.
Ghana has been suffering from eruptions of crime, particularly in the capital, Accra, which have attracted widespread condemnation from the general public. But the police have acted swiftly in response and made some arrests.
Speaking at the graduation parade for the 50th cadet officer course of the Ghana Police Academy at Tesano Police Depot on 1 October, Nana Akufo-Addo assured citizens that the country’s security architecture has accepted the challenge of tackling criminal elements. The president said that the security agencies will deal with them head on.
“I am aware that recent incidents of violent crimes in some parts of the country have generated safety and security concerns from several sections of the populace.
“I want to assure Ghanaians that the police service and, indeed, all the other security services are determined to deal decisively with threats posed by dangerous criminals and criminal syndicates,” Akufo-Addo said.
He added: “We can help them to succeed in this endeavour if we urge the police and the other security services on and give them as much support and co-operation in the fight as we can.”
Resourcing agencies
Akufo-Addo also affirmed that the government will not relent in its agenda of resourcing the police service and all the other security agencies to prepare them better to maintain law and order in the country.
As part of the resourcing, the president announced that additional three helicopters will be made available to the police service to support its security activities.
“The police service will take delivery of three helicopters, made up of two gazelle light attack helicopters and one Airbus 350 helicopter in November this year to enhance its work,” Akufo-Addo said.
Discipline in the ranks
Commending the acting Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, and the entire police service, President Akufo-Addo charged the leadership and officers of the service to do everything within their power to maintain discipline, as this is the single most important element to gain public trust for their core mandate of maintaining the territorial integrity of the state.
“While the government does its utmost best to equip, resource and retool the police services, it is important that discipline prevails throughout the service. This is a charge I give the acting Inspector General of Police and the entire police administration.
“Without discipline and effective supervision, winning public confidence and support to fight crime will be very problematic.
“The detection and prevention of crime are shared responsibilities between the police and the public, and mutual respect, confidence and support are required to achieve these goals,” he said.
Awards
The overall award for best cadet officer went to Ernest Kwofie. The Commandant’s Special Award was received by Emmanuel Osei.
Alison Raji Atuluk was adjudged the best in command and drill and the best marksman award went to Richard Lazarus Akorli.
President Akufo-Addo congratulated all the prize-winners and charged them to bring their expertise to bear on their work in the service.
Background to police education
Before Ghana attained independence, the police service depended largely on expatriate officers. However, a few Ghanaian policemen of inspectorate rank were selected for training at British police institutions, notably Hendon and Bramshill.
On completion of their courses overseas, the Ghanaian cadets were commissioned as assistant superintendents of police.
The need to Africanise the civil and public services after independence on 6 March 1957 was felt acutely because it was no longer expedient to rely on the overburdened and oversubscribed British and Western training facilities to create a wholly indigenous service for the post-independence nation.
Ghana Police Academy
Consequently, the Ghana Police Academy, formerly the Ghana Police College, was established in 1959. On 4 February that year, 14 officer cadets began the maiden course at the Academy.
The course content of the curriculum at the Academy forms a career training programme, designed to be undertaken by qualified officers of inspectorate rank who pass a competitive entrance examination.
In addition, a limited number of university graduates are accepted as direct entrants on the course after three months of under-cadet training at the National Police Training School (NPTS) and a minimum of six months’ practical attachment.
On completion, officers receive presidential appointment into the senior officer corps as assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) and thereafter serve a probationary period as prescribed by law.
The academy has run 49 cadet officers’ courses since its inception, with the current one constituting the 50th. Each course is envisioned to span nine months within the framework of the new training curriculum.
The main subjects taught at the Academy vary, depending on the needs of the service. Currently, the subjects are divided between three classifications – police, law and social sciences.
The police subjects include criminal investigation, intelligence, service instruction, practical police duties, crime scene management, forensics, police report writing, service writing, ethics in policing, basic officer skills, strategic and action planning, anti-human trafficking, child-friendly policing, community policing, client care, gender-based violence, media relations and communications skills.
The subjects under law encompass criminal law, criminal justice, criminal procedure, law of evidence, CI76 and other enactments which have a bearing on police work.
The social science courses are designed strategically to cover the other disciplines, such as social psychology, policing and mental health, leadership and management skills, research methods, financial management and human rights.
Academy’s mission
The mission of the Academy is to develop the intellectual, academic and professional skills of cadet officers who will eventually turn out as transformational leaders focused on change and realising service policies. They will also be capable of mustering the resources to achieve institutional order or practice.
Among other things, the Academy aims to achieve this mission by developing a comprehensive programme to make cadet officers understand the responsibilities of a police officer and the need for cementing the relationship between the police and the community.
The same aim will be achieved, secondly, by implementing the participatory model/teaching plan (simulation and role playing) intended to effect the professional, moral and ethical reconstruction of the cadet officers.
Wilberforce Asare
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