Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu has reminded personnel deployed on peace keeping that the success of their operations is always dependent on exemplary discipline; “including utmost respect and recognition for the laws, culture and customs of the host nation and other mission colleagues”.
Mr Apeatu who was speaking at the closing of a two-week pre-deployment training for some 60 personnel at the Kofi Annan International Peace Training Centre in Accra, noted that: “it is therefore crucial that as ambassadors of the Ghana Police Service and Ghana, you adjust and adopt to your mission environment when you are deployed”.
The IGP said the service is striving to actualise its vision of becoming a world class organisation capable of delivering services that are up to international standards.
He noted that the vision of the police Service calls for further collaboration with partners to explore other critical tactical areas of policing, including counter terrorism, transnational organised crime, human trafficking and proliferation of small arms.
According to the IGP, the course was intended to enhance the capacity of personnel to deliver effectively at both operational and tactical levels relating to the roles, responsibilities and operating procedures of police mandated task in UN peace keeping operations.
Mr Apeatu added that: “though the course is targeted at delivering international best police services in conflict areas, I have observed that the training programme has enormous impact on the overall professional competence and officer behaviour of personnel”.
The police pre-deployment training covered topics like the nature of conflicts in Africa, UN peace keeping operations and functions, community based policing, humanitarian assistance and personal security.
One of the facilitators of the programme, Thorssen Koljaer from the German Federal Police Service told XYZ News’ Joe Bright Nyarko that:
“The challenges these officers would meet in their missions are massive human rights abuses, broken down infrastructure, broken down security sector…there is no security in this area and its going to be a very big challenge for them to work on the rebuilding, reforming of security in these security areas”.
However, Mr Koljaer pointed out that the two week training has equipped the personnel with the basic strategies to tackle the challenges.
By: Joe Bright Nyarko
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