Officers Who Reveal The Identities OF Informants Will Be Ruthlessly Dealt With � IGP Warns

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Alhassan, has warned that any police officer who reveal the identities of informants will be ruthlessly dealt with. According to him, informants have contributed greatly to the fight against crime, and as such any officer found to have blown their cover would not be spared. He disclosed this to 'The Finder' on the sidelines of an editors� soiree at the police headquarters in Accra. Mr Alhassan noted that anytime an informant alerts the service that an officer has publicly disclosed the informants� identity, the Police Service carries out thorough investigations, and when necessary, the culprit is punished. He said the administration was doing its best to educate officers on how best to keep the identity of informants secret. The IGP lauded the Ghanaian public for their co-operation by reporting criminal activities to either the police or the media. He described as high the rate at which citizens report crime in recent time, which he said was not the case in the past. Addressing the soiree, Mr Alhassan said the focus of the service is on improving the professional standards and structures, as well as ensuring that officers put up utmost professional conduct in the discharge of their duties. According to him, the Police Administration has employed the requisite disciplinary measures to ensure that personnel are whipped in line with the hopes and aspirations of the service. He commended the media saying, �You have been there for us to encourage us, cover our activities, support us, critique us and also progressively chastise us where we went wrong. Once again, we appreciate your contribution to our work.� The IGP said over the past one year, the administration implemented programmes and initiatives that would serve the interest of the people. He named some of the programmes and initiatives as the Police Patrol Unit, the revival of the Marine Police Unit, the Formed Police Unit, Patrol Department (Visibility Policing), and the establishment of the Ghana Police Command and Staff College at Winneba, Police Public Safety Training School in the Upper East Region and the launch of Public Confidence re-affirmation programme. Mr Alhassan said all the above-mentioned programmes and initiatives have been implemented as a result of the avowed commitment of the administration to reposition the service to better serve the people. He noted that comments from the public point to some modest achievements, adding that �this notwithstanding, we are not going to rest on out oars because this is not our destination. There is more ahead of us, and we shall not rest until we have salvaged the entirety of our past glory.� He said commanders have been encouraged to take initiatives to improve the work of the service and not wait for the central government and the signs are visible all over with improvements in office accommodation in places such as the new look of the National Headquarters, the Accra Regional Police Headquarters, and the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters. The IGP stated that their concentration has been to offer proactive policing rather than reactive policing, hence the increase of police visibility in communities. He announced plans to expand the concept and saturate communities even more. Director General of Police Public Affairs, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Rev David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin said the press soiree was not only to make merry but to reflect on past and present events, share ideas, and find common solutions to some of the problems facing the service in serving the people. He said crime fighting is not the sole responsibility of the police but rather a shared responsibility. He noted that crime is becoming more sophisticated, hence the need to meet stakeholders, deliberate and get diverse views on how to tackle the problems. Some editors shared views and opinions that could help the police improve on the discharge of their duties. The Finder