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A distinguished criminology and criminal justice expert at the University of Cambridge, Professor Justice Tankebe, has expressed significant concerns regarding the drastic decline in the conviction rate of police officers facing disciplinary action under the leadership of former Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
Prof. Tankebe pointed out that the conviction rate had fallen sharply from 17% in 2020 to a mere 7% in both 2021 and 2022.
In an interview earlier today, he underscored the importance of further investigation into the underlying factors contributing to this alarming trend.
“Another area that we have to consider is police professionalism, but it is difficult to get the data. But one data we can consider will be complaints against police officers, and that becomes interesting.” “You would expect that those who have issues with the police will file complaints, and we can see what proportion of those complaints are upheld and how many officers are convicted when they undergo disciplinary proceedings.”
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“But unfortunately, the data that we have shows that in 2020, the proportion of officers who were convicted after disciplinary hearings was 17%, and that dropped to 7% in 2021 and 2022. So, there is an interesting discussion to be had as to why the sharp drop.”
With the appointment of COP Yohuno, there are heightened expectations for a shift in the direction of the Ghana Police Service, particularly regarding reforms in disciplinary procedures, police professionalism, and restoring public trust in law enforcement.