The Bureau of Public Safety a non-profit organisation says the directive by the Interior Minister Ambrose Dery to arm all police officers who are on traffic duty would be a recipe for more chaos in the country.
According to the Bureau of Public Safety, it will worsen the already bad relationship between the public and the police.
Last week the Interior Minister Ambrose Dery who visited the family of one of the two murdered police officers at Kasoa directed the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) James Oppong-Boanuh to immediately arm officers who are on traffic duty.
He said the acting IGP should provide the officers with bullet-proof vests and helmets to enable them “exercise their right to self-defence effectively when they meet such callous and barbaric personsâ€.
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There are reports that these officers will also be given rifles.
The Bureau of Public Safety is asking the Interior Minister to withdraw the directive and invest in training of the police officers rather.
Nana Yaw Akwada who heads the Bureau of Public Safety said : "When we say we are not ready for that we base it on previous empirical evidence, we have seen the Police Service largely discharge its duties appropriately but a section of them and most of the time engaging with citizens or suspects have not been able to demonstrate certain skills that are crucial to maintaining the peace and deepening the trust and enhancing the relationship between citizens and the police. I cited a classic example of the shooting at Manso Nkwanta, the trotro driver and his mate in Accra, there are several examples where the police have not been able to demonstrate calmness. On the back of this, we think arming the police will be a recipe for more chaos, so we believe they must rather be equipped with skills first," he told Joy News.
In a related development the Deputy Public Relations Officer of the Eastern regional Police command, Sargeant Francis Gomado says the directive by the Interior Minister to arm all officers who are on traffic duty could turn out to be negative for the nation.
According to Sargeant Gomado, not all officers in the country can be trusted to be professional with the use of arms.
Meanwhile, the main suspect in the killing of two police officers and six other suspects have been remanded in custody by the Kaneshie Magistrate Court on September 2.
Ghana Police Service on Saturday arrested the main suspect who killed two police officers at Gomoa Buduburam near Kasoa in the Central Region.
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