Over the past Christmas season, a number of police officers on patrol duty have disclosed instances where they resisted bribery attempts by civilians.
In 2021, the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) labeled the Ghana Police Service as one of the most corrupt institutions in the country.
A subsequent 2022 research, conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service in collaboration with anti-corruption stakeholders, ranked the Police Service as the most corrupt among 23 sampled institutions.
In response, Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, vehemently rejected the characterization, challenging the credibility of the research.
Despite controversies, there seems to be a collective effort to restore the image of the service, as indicated by accounts of junior personnel rejecting bribes during an evaluation session of police operations at the Police Headquarters.
General Constable Sowu reported, “We received guidance on avoiding extortion, and when on duty, some civilians attempted to offer us money. Fortunately, we consistently declined such offers by the grace of God.”
Another member of the police patrol team corroborated General Constable Sowu’s account, stating, “Some drivers attempted to give money to our colleagues, but they refused. There’s a perception that police always accept bribes, and we are determined to change that narrative.”