Don’t put society at risk by arming MTTD officers – Security expert

A security expert has advised that the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, and the acting Inspector General of Police, James Oppong-Boanuh, should not put the entire nation at risk by arming all officers of the police Motor Transport and Traffic Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service. Dr. George Hackman said the police administration should not think of only the guns for the MTTD officers but must also think of the preparedness of the personnel not to misuse the guns on the innocent citizens. “Because of one incident, we should put the whole society at risk.” The decision to arm MTTD officers comes on the heels of five police officers killed within the last 30 days, a situation that has brought to the fore the issue of safety for law enforcers in the country. The latest is the assassination of Sergeant Michael Dzamesi and Lance Corporal Mohammed Awal, who were on duty on Wednesday afternoon when they were shot dead by some men in an unregistered vehicle at Buduburam, near Kasoa, in the Central Region. Acting IGP James Oppong-Boanuh, who announced this when he joined the Interior Minister and other senior police officers to visit the families of the two officers, said “from today, we will give MTTD officers weapons”. Sharing his thoughts on the directives on Onua FM’s Yen Sempa on Friday, Dr. Hackman said “if things change, we also have to change. It’s not only about giving them the guns, but how adequate are they prepared”. He noted that “most police officers, after they graduated, have not done any refresher courses, so, we could have a gun but we could be nuisance to the public”. “The type of training they go through before they come out, we have psycho analyst test that they have to go through. That part of the training should have been integral part of their training before they come out, but that is not there,” he explained. Suggestions Dr. Hackman suggested that police must have constant training or refresher courses to boost their capacity because most of them have not been given any refresher course after they passed out. “There should be refresher courses for them. What training has been given to them? Where do they fall short? What refresher courses are they given to them?” Suspects for court Meanwhile, the three suspects arrested in connection with the murder of two police officers on duty at the Buduburam Camp, near Kasoa, in the Central Region are expected to be taken to court today, Friday, August 30. The Central Regional Police Public Affairs Director, DSP Irene Oppong, has promised that they will follow the criminal justice system of Ghana without violating the rights of these suspects. The all-male suspects are being held at the Kasoa Police Station. They are Ibrahim Zakaria, Isaac Amissah and Dominic Commey while a fourth accomplice, Duah, is on the run. The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, has dispatched a team from the headquarters to support the Central Regional Command in its investigations. By Kweku Antwi-Otoo|3news.com|Ghana]]>