Jantuah expressed concern about the deployment of soldiers in urban operations
Private legal practitioner and a member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Kwame Jantuah, has raised alarm over what he describes as a growing loss of public trust and respect for the Ghana Police Service.
According to him, this trend is largely due to the police’s failure to uphold the law with professionalism, clarity, and consistency.
Reacting to recent attacks against journalists on TV3’s New Day on Friday, August 1, Jantuah said the inability of the police to assert their authority has led to frequent reliance on the military in matters that should ordinarily fall within the police’s domain.
“Sometimes I don’t understand why we invite the army into civilian operations. It goes to show that the police have lapsed in their responsibility as a service. Because of that, people don’t tend to respect the police,” he said.
He made specific reference to the demolition of McDan’s warehouse, questioning the presence of military officers at the site.
“The demolition of that building — did they need the army to be there? Did they foresee problems? And if they foresaw problems, isn’t it the police they should have brought there?” he asked.
Jantuah expressed concern about the increasing deployment of soldiers in urban operations, stating that the army has no responsibility in such areas unless under very special circumstances.
He argued that law enforcement duties within cities fall under the jurisdiction of the police, and involving the military suggests the police is no longer seen as capable.
“The police is not a police force. The police is a police service. The army is a force. And what is their responsibility? Protection. They protect the country,” he stated.
Citing policing practices in the United Kingdom, he indicated that the UK police officers often do not carry guns, yet command respect because of how they enforce the law.
“I always use the UK as an example. The UK policeman — don’t hold gun. The only thing he has is a baton on his side, his protective gear, and his identification camera. When he arrests you, he would quote the law to you before he arrests you. Does that happen here?” he asked.
He stated that until the police in Ghana are seen as true embodiments of the law, their authority will continue to be undermined, both by the public and by other state agencies.
“Unfortunately, the police service hasn’t been able to show the kind of reverence of the law they are supposed to handle. So, people don’t respect the police and hence, in situations like this, we call the army in,” he added.
According to him, the police as a service should aim to protect and serve, while the military, as a force, should only be called in under special circumstances.
The frequent use of the army, he argued, reflects a lack of confidence in the police.
Jantuah stressed that restoring professionalism and respect for the police is critical, not only to uphold the rule of law but also to prevent unnecessary military interference in civic matters.
AS/VPO
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