Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Alhassan�s goal of building a police force f professional men and women who will be able to meet any standards in the sub-region is still being thwarted by some corrupt officials of the service.
Some police officers who have been stationed at snap check duty points and barriers on the Yendi-Chereponi road have neglected their duty of policing the stretch and are engaged in unprofessional conduct.
In broad day light, the law enforcers openly accept and extort monies from defaulting drivers who have either their roadworthy or income tax stickers expired: some as far back as two years ago.
The Daily Heritage can authoritatively report that some police officers and drivers have become companions in crime.
The driver of a vehicle with registration number WR 4261 C which plies that freeway with virtually no windshields is one of the partners in crime of the police on the Yendi-Chereponi road.
The automobile�s roadworthy, insurance, and income tax documents had long expired, but, he was never questioned by the police.
The modus operandi of the law enforcers and the offending drivers are that the police officers, in a well-rehearsed style, would flag the vehicle to stop but, not approaching to inspect, walks to the driver midway to talk to him undertone, then takes GH�1.00 not from the driver.
Jumping back behind the steering wheel, the bribe-giver driver cranks his engine back into life and speeds off; �case die.�
Elijah Labim, a commuter, who spoke to the paper, claimed that for him, police taking bribes from defaulting drivers is an open secret in the area.
The dereliction of duty by the police at the three barrier posts took a toll on the poor commuters as vehicle broke down three consecutive times before it got to its destination.
What is more life-threatening is that, anytime the vehicle developed a fault; the driver and mate used hammers, metals, and wood to correct the disfigured ball joints, instead of calling in a certified mechanic.
As part of the supposed repairs, a rope was used to tie some joints of the vehicle to keep them from dislocating.
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