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Police Council has failed Ghanaians - Aning

Police Council has failed Ghanaians -  Aning
Professor Kwesi Aning of the Kwesi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC) has said the Ghana Police Council has failed Ghanaians and the entire Ghana Police Service.

According to him, the functions of the Police Council has now been reduced to promotion and dismissal council.

Under Act 350 the Police Council functions as an advisory body on appointments, welfare, discipline, selection, training, police-public relations and the adjudication of disciplinary appeals from serving officers.

Speaking on Good Evening Ghana on Thursday July 22, Professor Aning said: “The Committee goes beyond an individual but the Committee’s functions primarily as an oversight committee must ensure that it becomes a critical partner both to the Police administration and to the Police Council.

“The Police Council and the Police administration have both failed the Ghana Police Service and also the people of Ghana.

“Because their functions and their roles have been limited, for the Police Council to being a promotion and a dismissal council and for the Defence and Interior Committee (of parliamnet) of being a committee that hardly demands any accountability from the Police Service, does not challenge the Police Service, does not request for document.”

Meanwhile President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has appointed a new Inspector General of Police in an Acting capacity.

COP George Akuffo Dampare replaces the outgoing IGP James Oppong-Buanoh.

His appointment takes effect August 1.

The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) has also asked him to institute measures across the country to collect public safety and crime data and share the same with the public regularly.

According to BPS, his work, according to BPS, therefore, is cut out for him in the scheme of fallen standards in operations and professionalism, poor officer welfare, and inadequate police accountability to the citizenry.

“Thus, applying himself to key performance indicators (KPIs) will be crucial in justifying the huge applause and almost flawless acceptance of his appointment.

“The BPS therefore, expects the Ghana Police Service under Dr. Dampare to: Institute measures across the country to collect public safety and crime data and share the same with the public regularly.

It added “Work to determine the crime rate and crime clearance rates (especially for homicide cases) within the jurisdiction to enable a more objective assessment of the police service,” a statement by the BPS said.

“Active police involvement in ensuring public safety and engaging in community service in line with the tenets of democratic policing.

“While we appreciate the many years of George Akufo Dampare, Ph.D. professional experience at various levels and departments of the service, we call on the public to be measured in their expectations of him.

“We hold the truth that running an efficient and responsive police service in Ghana at a time like this requires more than an individual’s standing.

“We, therefore, call on the Executive, the Police Council, Parliament, and the rest of society to render their full support by allowing and providing him the needed independence and resources required to build a world class police service that is committed to the delivery of planned, democratic, protective and peaceful services.”

Source: ghanaweb.com

Original Story on: GhanaWeb
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