Do your politics and leave security for us – Police commander to politicians

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The Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Patrick Adusei Sarpong has attributed the lack of trust in the Ghana Police Service by political parties to the loss of influence when they are out of power.

To him, it becomes practically impossible for opposition parties to repose confidence in the security service due to the fear that the incumbent government will use its authority to work against them.

When asked by the Justice Emile Short Commission, if he agrees with assertions that opposition parties do not trust the police, DCOP Sarpong concurred saying;

“That is true. When they [opposition parties] are in government, they trust us [police] but when they are not in government, they don’t trust us. The fact is when they are in government, they have some influences from the police; so when out of government they don’t have that, they become afraid and apprehensive because the powers they used when they were in power will be used against them, so they become afraid of their own shadows.”

Political infiltration hampering security service

Providing recommendations, DCOP Sarpong indicated that the only way to end this worrying situation is for political actors to allow the security agencies to carry out their mandate with the freedom they deserve.

He insisted that politicians need to decouple their activities from that of the security task force.

“Politicians should do politics and allow security men to do security work. I don’t know how possible and feasible that will be. But if the politicians take their hands off security and allow the security men to do their work without any form of hindrance then I think this will be sustained.”

Ayawaso violence: East Legon Commander wasn’t sidelined – Regional Commander

DCOP Patrick Adusei Sarpong also discounted claims by the East Legon District Police commander that he was excluded from security arrangements for the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election although the election was held within his jurisdiction.

The East Legon Police Commander, DSP George Lysander Asare told the Justice Emile Short commission of inquiry on Monday that he was excluded from the election security operations.

He said he was rather asked to return his pickup vehicle to the regional command.

But; DCOP Patrick Adusei Sarpong said the claims are untrue.

He said DSP George Lysander Asare was the first on the list of persons selected to be part of the election task force but was not assigned any specific polling station.

He added that he a sent messages to all the district commanders via WhatsApp [the day before the election] to be present on the day of the election but DCOP Patrick Adusei Sarpong did not respond to his message, but he was expected to be with the patrol team.

“That is not true [that we sidelined him]… When the election was going on and he reported the [shooting] incident to me, I told him to take care of the situation because it falls within his command.

By: citinewsroom.com