Police detectives who are fond of speaking Twi while giving evidence in court have been urged to desist from that act because it brings disgrace to the police profession.
The Director General of the Criminal Investigation Department, COP Isaac Ken Yeboah, said some of the detectives during cross-examination in court as witnesses, prefer speaking in local dialect instead of the Standard English.
He said this is because of the poor command some detectives have in expressing themselves in the English language.
Addressing 95 detectives who took part in an eight week detective course at the Detective Training Academy in Accra, the CID Boss said as a police officer, good report writing, which will be understood by any person who reads it, should be on their fingertips.
“When you go to court, to testify, don’t go and say, My Lord, please I will speak Twi. It should be out of the question. It brings disgrace to the service,” he stated.
He urged the detectives to spend quality time in interrogating suspects and victims in order to come out with good reports.
“Criminals will try to influence you to compromise your integrity and your professional ethics but remain resolute and incorruptible,” he said, adding “You have to be caring and compassionate by taking your work seriously. Pursuing the offender and updating the complainant on the development of the case is the way to go.”
The Commandant of the Detective Training Academy, Chief Superintendent Baba Iddirisu, said the detectives were taken through courses including human rights, criminal procedure, child-friendly policing, criminal investigation, human trafficking, cyber crime, statement taking among others.
He said senior police officers, both serving and retired, who are experts in the various fields, were the facilitators of the course.
The overall best detective was Constable Perpetual Deny of Adweso CID Koforidua.
By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey