Police to clamp down on lawlessness

Page 12: Daily Graphic, April 5, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Police Administration has directed all police commands in the country to clamp down on any acts of lawlessness and indiscipline.
It has, therefore, warned individuals and social, religious and political groupings to refrain from activities that tend to breach the Public Order Act and the peace in the country.
In an interview, the Director of Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Kwesi Ofori, said the police would deal firmly and decisively with any person or group of persons who would take the law into their own hands to cause any disturbances, irrespective of their status or social and political affiliation.
He reminded members of the public that the Public Order Act, Act 491 enjoined individuals and group of persons intending to embark on any public event such as demonstrations and rallies to inform the police at least five clear days before the event.
“People who disregard this provision do so at their own risk, as the police will not hesitate to clamp down on them in full force,” he warned.
DSP Ofori said the necessary measures had been put in place to ensure that the country continued to enjoy peace and security at all times.
He said information on alleged breach of the law that had come to the notice of the police was being investigated for appropriate action.
He described as unfortunate a statement attributed to the Yendi District Police Command that it could not arrest any of the youth threatening to kill the Yendi Metropolitan Chief Executive because the issue was too political for the police to dabble in and that no one had made a formal complaint to it.
He explained that “crime is crime” and the police had nothing to fear when handling criminal issues.
“In matters of lawlessness and threat to security, the police have nothing to with politics. It is about life and death and that is what we have been employed and trained to deal with. Criminality has no political party, religion, ethnic or any background,” he said.
Some NDC youth in Yendi last Saturday threatened to kill the Yendi MCE after accusing him of incompetence and lack of vision in championing the cause of the party and the government and creating division among the NDC rank and file in the area.
In the face of widespread condemnation, the irate youth had remained intransigent, justifying their behaviour by arguing that they resorted to violence only after the government failed to heed their persistent calls for the MCE to be sacked.
The Yendi District Police Commander, DSP Patrick Blepoe, told Joy News on Tuesday that his hands were tied because the issue was more political than criminal.
“This is a party affair involving the regional minister, who is the Chairman of the Regional Security Committee, so if we have not been instructed to carry out any arrest, we cannot act,” he said.
A security expert, Mr Emmanuel Sowatey, reacting to the position of the police on the matter, said it was a reflection of the fear security personnel entertained when it came to enforcing the law regarding members of political parties in power.
Mr Sowatey said in the security services, “the decisions you take, even if professionally right, may go a long way in affecting your prospects in terms of promotion and where you are sent to serve”.
The fears expressed by the police, according to him, were well grounded because they had seen many cases in which their colleagues who tried to be assertive and independent-minded got victimised.
“Political interference is one deadly element that affects conflicts across the nation and until such a time that we put state security above regime security, we are going to continue to have that problem,” he stated.
Mr Sowatey, however, noted that the situation was worrying because to strengthen institutions of state within the country’s fledging democracy, security personnel must live above fear and intimidation, no matter where threats were coming from.