President Akufo-Addo says the Ghana Police Service and all other security agencies in the country are poised to deal with the internal security threats that are currently visible in parts of the nation.
In recent times, some parts of the country particularly, the capital city of Accra, have recorded incidents of daylight robberies among others that have attracted widespread condemnation from the general public.
The Police have in most of the incidents, moved swiftly to arrest those suspected to have carried out the crimes.
President Akufo Addo, addressing the Graduation Parade of the 50th Officer Cadet Course of the Ghana Police Academy at the Tesano Police Depot, today 1st of October 2021, assured the citizenry that the country’s security architecture has accepted the challenge of criminal elements in the country and they will deal with them head-on.
“I am aware that recent incidents of violent crimes in some parts of the country have generated safety and security concerns from several sections of the populist. I want to assure Ghanaians that the Police Service and indeed all the other security services are determined to deal decisively with threats posed by dangerous criminals and criminal syndicates” President Akufo-Addo said.
“We can help then succeed in this endeavour if we urge the Police and the other security services on and give them as much support and cooperation in the fight as we can”.
Resourcing Agencies
President Akufo-Addo in his address noted that government will not relent on its agenda of resourcing the Police Service and all other security agencies to better prepare them to maintain law and order in the country. As part of the resourcing, the President announced that additional three helicopters will be made available to the Police Service to support their security activities.
“The Police Service will take delivery of three (3) helicopters made up of two gazette attack-like helicopters and one airbus 350 helicopter in November this year to enhance its work,” Akufo-Addo said.
Discipline in the Ranks
Commending the Acting Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, and the entire Police Service, the President charged the leadership and officers of the Service to do all within their power to maintain discipline in the service as it us the single most important element to gain public trust for their core mandate of maintaining the territorial integrity of the State.
“While government does its utmost best to equip, resource, and retool the Police services, it is important that discipline prevails throughout the service. This is a charge I give the acting Inspector General of Police and the entire Police administration”.
“Without discipline and effective supervision, winning public confidence and support to fight crime will be very problematic. The detection and prevention of crime are shared responsibilities between the Police and the public, and mutual respect, confidence and support are required to achieve these goals” Akufo-Addo noted.
Awards
The overall best cadet officer award went to Cadet Officer Ernest Kwofie. The Commandant’s special award was received by Cardet Officer Emmanuel Osei.
Cadet Officer Alison Raji Atuluk, was adjudged the best in command and drill and the best marksman award went to Cardet Officer Richard Lazarus Akorli.
President Akufo-Addo congratulated all the award winners and charged them to bring their expertise to bear on their work in the Service.
Background to Police Education
Before the attainment of Ghana’s Independence, the Police Service depended largely on expatriate officers. A few Ghanaian Policemen of the Inspectorate rank were however selected for training in British Police Institutions, notably, Hendon and Bramshill.
On completion of their overseas courses, they were commissioned as Assistant Superintendents of Police.
The need to Africanize the civil and public services after Ghana’s Independence on the 6th of March 1957 was acutely felt because it was no longer expedient to rely on the over-burdened and over-subscribed British and Western training facilities for the creation of a wholly indigenous and post-independent Ghana.
Ghana Police Academy
Consequently, the Ghana Police Academy formerly Ghana Police College was established in 1959. On the 4th of February 1959, 14 Cadet Officers began their maiden Course at the Academy.
The Course content of the Academy is a career training programme designed for qualified officers of the Inspectorate rank who pass a competitive entrance examination.
In addition, a limited number of University graduates are accepted for the Course as Direct Entrants after three months of Under-Cadet training at the National Police Training School (NPTS) and a minimum of six months’ practical attachment.
On completion, Officers receive a presidential appointment into the Senior Officer Corps as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and to serve probationary period as by law prescribed.
Since its inception, the academy has run forty-nine (49) Courses and the current one constitutes the fiftieth (50th) Cadet Officers’ Course which is envisioned to span for nine months within the framework of the new training curriculum.
The major subjects taught at the Academy vary from time to time depending on the needs of the Service. Currently, the subjects are divided into three classifications – Police, Law and Social Sciences.
The Police subjects include Criminal Investigation, Intelligence, Service Instructions, Practical Police Duties, Crime Scene Management, Forensics, Police Report Writing, Service Writing, Ethics in Policing, Basic Officer Skills, Strategic Planning and Action Plan, Anti-Human Trafficking, Child-Friendly Policing, Community Policing, Client Care, Gender-Based Violence, Media Relations and Communication Skills.
The Law subjects encompass Criminal Law, Criminal Justice; Criminal Procedure, Law of Evidence, C.I. 76 and other enactments which has bearing on Police work.
The Social Science courses are strategically designed to cover other disciplines such as Social Psychology, Policing and Mental health, Leadership and Management Skills, Research Methods, Financial Management and Human Rights.
Academy’s Mission
The mission of the Academy is to develop the intellectual, academic, and professional skills of Cadet Officers who will eventually turn out as transformational leaders focused on chance, policies of the Service and capable of mustering resources to achieve institutional order or practice.
Among others, the Academy aims to achieve this mission by developing a comprehensive programme to make cadet officers understand the responsibilities of a Police Officer and the realization of the relationship between the Police and the Community.
Second, by implementing the participatory model/ teaching plan (simulation and role-playing) aimed at the professional, moral/ethical reconstruction of the Cadet Officers.