48 Police Officers sacked, 70 others reprimanded

• Posted on April 6, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Forty-eight police officers of different ranks were dismissed from the service for misconduct in 2015.

The measure forms part of efforts by the service to improve discipline and enhance operational efficiency in line with the Police Public Confidence Reaffirmation Campaign.

In the same vein, 70 officers were reprimanded while 62 had their ranks reduced and four were warned and served caution letters.

The officers involved were found culpable of cases of brutality, harassment, extortion, undue delay of investigations and causing damage levelled against them.

Some were also found to have indulged in civil cases, withholding of exhibits and unprofessional handling of cases, and misappropriation of exhibits.

The Director, Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Cephas Arthur, who made these known to The Finder, reiterated that the disciplinary actions were a necessity to restore the integrity and confidence in the Police Service.

“It is in this direction that the Public Confidence Campaign was launched to ensure that personnel with questionable characters are pruned from the service,” he added.

In all, one Chief Superintendent was reprimanded and another reduced in rank. Two Superintendents also were reprimanded.

A Deputy Superintendent of Police was reprimanded and another removed.

One Assistant Superintendent of Police was reprimanded.

According to the data obtained by The Finder, two Chief Inspectors were reprimanded; one was reduced in rank and one was dismissed.

Within the same period, five Inspectors were dismissed while four were reduced in rank and one was reprimanded.

It also emerged that junior officers were the most culpable as they top the highest numbers of those disciplined.

The figures indicate that six Sergeants were reduced in rank, five dismissed and four reprimanded.

Eighteen Corporals were reduced in rank, six reprimanded and five dismissed.

Furthermore, 32 Lance Corporals were reduced in rank, 21 reprimanded, 15 were dismissed, three were served warning letters and 2 were severely reprimanded.

A total of twenty-seven Constables were reprimanded, 16 dismissed, two severely reprimanded and one was served a caution letter.

The investigations leading to the disciplinary actions against the officers were carried out by the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS) of the Ghana Police Service.

Superintendent Arthur has assured the general public that the Police Administration will not relent on its efforts to uphold professionalism in the service.

“We will not compromise on the issue of integrity and professionalism,” he declared.

By Emefa Abla ADJEI, Accra