THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL in-charge of Human Resource Development of the Ghana Police Service, Commissioner of Police (COP) Joana Osei Opoku has charged police officers in the country to stand up for justice and maintain respect for the fundamental human rights of every single member of society.

Speaking at the passing out parade of the third batch of 2008 recruits at the Police Training School at Tesano last Tuesday, she stressed, “You must always remember that you are peace officers; the very people in whose hands the good people of this country have entrusted their security and freedom”.

Mrs. Opoku said the Service demands from them a high sense of patriotism, integrity, fairness, good manners, understanding and above all, impartiality in all their dealings with the public.

Out of the 80 recruits who were trained in various disciplines such as Fundamental Human Rights; Professional Policing Ethics; Law Evidence; Criminal Law; Arms and Foot Drill; Map Reading; HIV/AIDS among others , 65 were men and 15 women.

Mrs Opoku advised that as law enforcement officers they must be impartial and non-partisan “because your passing out has come at a very crucial period, when the whole of Ghana would go to the polls for Presidential alongside Parliamentary elections”, and urged them to exhibit circumspection, loyalty and commitment during the exercise.

In order to closely monitor and assess them, all the 80 recruits would undergo 18-month probation with the first three months being practical attachment in the various regions.

General Recruit Agbedanu Kwabena was adjudged the best in academic work and overall best recruit, while the best in drill and conduct went to General Recruits Joseph Mensah and Rexford Appiagyei, respectively.

By Nathaniel Y.Yankson