- Professor Tankebe is worried about fewer police convictions
- COP Yohuno's appointment is expected to improve police discipline
- Conviction rates fell from 17% in 2020 to 7% in 2021 and 2022
Professor Justice Tankebe, a criminology and criminal justice expert at the University of Cambridge, has expressed concern about the significant drop in the conviction rate of police officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings during the tenure of former Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.
Prof. Tankebe noted that the conviction rate decreased sharply from 17% in 2020 to only 7% in both 2021 and 2022.
During an appearance on the Citi Breakfast Show on March 17, he stressed the importance of investigating the reasons behind this decline.
He said, “Another aspect to consider is police professionalism, but obtaining the data is challenging. One piece of data we can review is the number of complaints filed against police officers. It would be interesting to see how many of those complaints result in convictions after disciplinary hearings.”
He added, “The data available indicates that in 2020, 17% of officers were convicted following disciplinary proceedings, but that number dropped to 7% in 2021 and 2022. This significant decrease warrants further discussion to understand why.”
The appointment of COP Yohuno is expected to provide a new direction for the Ghana Police Service, with increased expectations for reforms in disciplinary procedures, police professionalism, and public trust in law enforcement.
