(COP) Nathan Kofi Boakye
Commissioner of Police (COP) Nathan Kofi Boakye, the Director-General for Legal and Prosecutions of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), has charged police personnel who will be deployed to maintain law and order during this year’s general election to work professionally and impartially so as to maintain the confidence and trust the people have in the service.
He has also called on all police personnel to be neutral and discharge their duties without fear or favour to help build public confidence in the service and also to enhance public cooperation.
He said people used to see the police as part of the Executive arm of government but from 1992, the GPS had carried out its duties professionally.
“All over the world, the police are normally seen as part of the Executive but by and large from 1992, the police in Ghana had played their role in a very professional manner although there had been some misgivings and challenges from some political parties,” he noted.
“But I think we have developed and come far enough to be politically impartial and act professionally. This can be seen in recent events where people from both political parties have been arrested for various offences and are undergoing investigations,” he added.
COP Kofi Boakye was speaking to journalists at the sidelines of a capacity building on electoral laws for police officers in the Western Region.
The officers comprised investigators, district and unit commanders, as well as divisional commanders in the Western Region.
He said there are electoral offences which are peculiar and specific to elections and added that since 2016, there had been a vigilantism bill added to the electoral offences.
“And so it is incumbent on us to keep our personnel abreast of the current developments,” he stressed.
He noted that the Police Administration was preparing adequately in terms of training of its personnel in all aspects to swiftly deal with electoral offenders in accordance with the laws of Ghana.
COP Kofi Boakye added that the workshop, which started at the police headquarters in Accra, was being carried out nationwide to build the capacity of personnel to enable them to prosecute electoral offences.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi