Last weekend was an unusual one. It marked as if by a deliberate arrangement, the passing out from two police training schools a total of 725 constables.
That is an impressive addition to the roll of the Ghana Police Service. That might not satisfy the policing need of the country, it is nonetheless an improvement as it narrows the police/public ratio.
The constables have passed out at a time which cannot pass for normal. Armed robbers have become unusually daring in a sub-region which has largely become restive and awash with illegal firearms.
With the ease of mobility at their disposal criminals are able to crisscross the sub-region as they wish to the detriment of our local security management.
Policing has become more sophisticated than it was in pre-social media and smart phone age.
Today’s cop must be abreast with the details and nuances of a fast changing world to be abreast with the state of crime without which they would be found wanting in the performance of their duties. Cyber crime unknown a few years ago is now part of the architecture of crime worldwide. Need the modern cop stay detached from this reality? Of course no.
These are times when Ghanaians have become so garrulous and coupled with an unbridled freedom of expression fueled by social media they have all public officers on the radar of their mobile phones.
For those who decided on a career in the police to make money through foul means they are most likely going to fail because the public would be on their necks with expected exposures and gusto. The consequences can be dire and would most likely lead to a truncated life in the Service and even a time in jail as others bad cops have already.
It is ignominious for a cop to lose their jobs because they have themselves become criminals instead of apprehending the bad elements.
The Ghanaian public demand so much from the cop but would largely give little in terms of support with information that would crack criminal conundrums.
Having gone through the curriculum of the constables at the two centres, the National Police Training School, Tesano, Accra and the Police Training School, Patase, Kumasi we would once more plead that basic public relations and courtesy be inculcated in the training manuals when next a review of these come up. The image loss of the Police does not augur well for the efficient performance of the institution.
The aggressive method of engaging motorists and others by police officers continues to widen the schisms between the police and the public. This does not help foster the necessary cordial bond that would have the public open up to law enforcement when investigations are being undertaken.
Let the authorities, we think, take another look at the current state of the training manuals of the Police beyond especially the regimental regimens such as weapon training and drill. These though necessary for the enhancement of discipline should come with the aforementioned suggestions so that the compromised image of the Police through some irresponsible cops would be restored for our good.
We also ask that body cameras be supplied our police officers especially those whose assignments bring them in constant touch with the public. This way the necessary monitoring and reviewing of their performance would be facilitated.