The Ghana Police Service is announcing the suspension of recruitment until further notice.
The move was taken as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“Police training schools, recruits training activities have been suspended,” an official statement said.
“Recruits, other than the final year students and the ‘passing out squad’ have been consequently released to go home until further directives.”
The statement, signed by Director General of the Police Public Affairs Directorate, Superintendent Sheilla Kessie Abayie-Buckman, said other contingency measures in place for strict compliance included regularly disinfecting of police cells.
“Fresh” suspects would be screened before they are placed in custody, while persons who had been remanded to police custody and those who had committed felonious offences would be kept in cells.
“In order to contain the COVID-19 situation and protect all persons, the Police Administration is also appealing to all that, frequenting Police Stations, offices, cells and facilities may not be in their best interest,” it stated.
Unofficial visits, it advised, must be restricted and encouraged official visitors to adopt one of the alternative means of communication and meeting with police officers and cells inmates, instead of paying personal visits.
It also asked the public to use the official contact number of the Police Station or office (displayed around the premises), adding that, calls to cell inmates had been restricted to immediate family members, lawyers or such other necessary persons.
“The Police Administration assures that officers will continue to carry out the duties of maintaining law and order, including preventing crimes, arrest of offenders, investigation of criminal cases and attendant actions unabated.
“We, therefore, appeal to all and sundry in Ghana to stay away from being in conflict with the law -to comply with the laws of Ghana, the directives issued by the President H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and general safety measures issued by mandated persons and institutions”, the statement said.