Police to set up desks to manage political activities

The acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) John Kudalor, has directed all regional commanders of police to set up political desks at their respective regional headquarters to monitor all political activities in the build up to the 2016 general elections.

“2016 will usher us in the presidential and parliamentary electioneering campaigns. It will not only be a test of our democracy but also a test of our professionalism. There is the need for the police to perform their functions to ensure that peace prevails” IGP John Kudalor noted.

The acting IGP directed them to set up political desks at various regional headquarters to monitor all political activities in the regions and submit reports on a 24-hour basis.

These political desks are to be manned by senior police officers “capable of analyzing political trends within the region, and making objective recommendations. Such reports may serve as basis for carrying out operations in the regions”.

Addressing a conference of regional police commanders in Accra, Mr. John Kudalor asked the police commanders to be circumspect in their comments during the election period. He charged them to be apolitical.

Mr. John Kudalor has also instructed that mobile police training teams be dispatched across regions that lack training schools in order to train officers on managing crowds.

He advised the rank and file of the service to ensure that political campaigns and related activities don’t degenerate into disorder.

Advising the officers to be disciplined in their conduct, he charged the senior officers to crack the whip on officers who misconduct themselves.

The Regional Commanders Conference which begun today [Friday], will be an annual occurrence.