He said it was about time the service cracked the whip because “these groups have taken the law into their own hands, but their actions should not deter the police from their duty to protect the citizenry”.

“The laws of this country do not wear political colours, neither has crime any political affiliation. Let us be firm, impartial and, above all, professional in the discharge of our duties,” he said.

Addressing the opening session of the first ever National Police Command Conference in Kumasi yesterday, the IGP said the acts of impunity and lawlessness could no longer be tolerated.

He described the gruesome murder of Major Maxwell Mahama and Constable Michael Kporyi at Denkyira-Obuasi and Tema, respectively, as the height of lawlessness and impunity in the country.

The conference, organised by the Police Administration for all regional police commanders, was on the theme: “Transforming Ghana Police Service into a world-class police--The Role of Regional Commanders”.

It was attended by the management team of the Ghana Police Service, regional police commanders, regional crime officers and senior police officers.

Mr Asante-Apeatu asked why people did not respect the rule of law and human dignity and killed people who had sworn to protect their lives.

He stressed the need for a collaboration between the Judiciary and the Ghana Police Service for the criminal justice system to work effectively.

“Irrespective of our challenges, let us all note that our performance dovetails into that of the Judiciary and we either succeed as a criminal justice system or risk putting our country in jeopardy if we operate in silos,” he said.

The IGP explained that the basic principle for the police to exist was to prevent crime and disorder, adding that the test of police efficiency was the absence of crime and disorder, without which the public would not have the needed confidence in the performance of the police.

He said the police were working towards falling among the top 10 police services in the world and subsequently urged the men to work towards that dream.

Interior Minister

For his part, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, lauded the efforts of the various security agencies in the country and their efficiency at making the country a safe place to live.

He assured them of the government’s commitment to support the Police Administration in its transformation process and underscored the need for change in the attitude of personnel in the service. 

He urged the personnel to help correct the negative perception that there was corruption in the Ghana Police Service.

Regional Minister

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, commended the Ashanti Regional Security Council for the collaborative effort in reducing the crime rate in the region and encouraged other regional commanders to do same.

He urged the personnel of the service to exhibit a high level of professionalism in their dealings with the public and also develop good attitudes towards their work.

He encouraged the public to see the police as partners in the security and protection of individuals, saying without their protection, people’s lives would be in danger.