IGP warns personnel

Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Patrick Acheampong, has demanded punitive action against personnel of the Ghana Police Service who are found to have applied excessive use of force against suspects.
He said such erring officers could face criminal prosecution and civil law suits, as well as liability for administrative disciplinary action, which could lead to their dismissal from the service.
The order came with a directive to all regional, divisional, district and unit commanders to organise durbars to educate police personnel under them on the limits permissible for use of force and the salient points of the Constitution, the Criminal Code and Service Instructions.
It comes in the wake of allegations of brutalities made against some security personnel including that which ended in the death of a driver, George Atuah, in the custody of the police at Suhum.
Elaborating on the directive in an interview yesterday, the acting Police Public Affairs Director, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, said the IGP issued the warning in a circular to all the commanders following public complaints about police brutalities on civilians.
DSP Ofori said the IGP conceded that the police had the legal authority to use force to execute certain tasks but such force was prescribed by law.
He said the use of force by personnel of the service in recent times had given cause for much concern by the Police Administration hence the issuance of the circular.
“It must always be borne in mind that the use of force outside the limits permissible by law may bring the Police Service into disrepute,” he noted.
The IGP, he said, reminded the personnel that Article 15 (2) of the Constitution frowned on torture and other kinds of degrading treatment.
He said the IGP reminded the personnel further that Section 31 of the Criminal Code, 1960 stipulated the grounds on which force might be used by any person against another and that included members of the Ghana Police Service.
“Notably, Sections 32 to 45 of the Criminal Code then give further explanation of the grounds for the use of force as mentioned in Section 31 of the Code,” he added.
As regards the use of force by means of firearms, the IGP reminded the personnel that Service Instruction Number 97 provided the guidelines for personnel as to when they were justified to use force by way of firearms.
Those, he said, included when attacked by an armed criminal and the officer’s life was in immediate danger and all other means of defending himself had provided ineffective.
DSP Ofori said Mr Acheampong reminded the personnel that they could also used firearms to effect the dispersal of a riotous mob which was attacking or attempting to attack life and property, to prevent the escape or to effect the arrest or recapture of a person convicted of a serious felony or under arrest charged with a felony and to effect the arrest of a person who had committed a felony and was resisting arrest my armed force in such a manner as to endanger the life of the police officer concerned.
He entreated members of the public to co-operate with the police in law enforcement and the general maintenance of law and order.
He advised the public against doing anything to compromise law enforcement.
DSP Ofori said the public needed to co-operate with the police during arrests, random stops and searches and any police operation.
He said the police would continue to enlist public support in the discharge of their duties.