PIPS Department Of Police Service To Open More Branches

Plans are far advanced for the opening of three more regional branches of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPs) Bureau in the country.

The regional branches will be situated at Ho in the Volta Region, Tamale in the Northern Region and Sekondi-Takoradi in the Western Region.

This is part of efforts by the police administration to revamp the unit which is the quality control unit of the service which seeks to maintain professionalism and check corruptible practices among personnel.

The Deputy Director General of PIPs, DCOP Timothy Yoosa Bonga, stated that with a monthly complaint of 102, PIPs has to strife to bring their services closer to the public.

He made this known at the opening of a workshop organised by the unit in collaboration with accountability, rule of law and anti-corruption programme (ARAP) to train personnel of the directorate to help them play a key role in the police transformation agenda.

The workshop will also offer personnel the opportunity to discuss how best they can help the directorate deal with pertinent issues of police corruption and indiscipline, share experiences to help identify what the police need to do to change their bad perception.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Apeatu, in an address on his behalf by COP Prosper Agblor, Director General in-charge of Welfare, stated that the Ghana Police Service is striving to actualise its vision of becoming a world-class police service capable of delivering planned, democratic, protective and peaceful services up to standards of international best practice.

He said this transformation agenda is pivoted on three strategic objectives set by the government of Ghana for the Ghana Police Service.

“Our priorities are in the areas of welfare and professional development of the officer, revamping the Criminal Investigations Department, emboldening community policing, strengthening the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau and adopting proven information communication technology as the main driver,” COP Agblor pointed out.

He said the outcome of the workshop would bring out critical responses to the continuous perceived corrupt posture of the service.

Adding her, voice Madam Linda Ofori Kwafo, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, disclosed that in their perception survey carried out this year on the theme 'corruption eating us up', the Ghana Police Service performed better.

“The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority came first but the police performed better so we believe the image building of the service has started,” she added.