Retired Commissioner of Police (COP) Alex Mensah has expressed concerns about the open public display of jubilation by some police officers following the appointment of a new Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews on Friday, March 14, he noted that while leadership changes in the police service are not new, the level of celebration this time is unusual and raises questions about the previous leader.
“This is the first time I have seen such a thing in the police service. There have been changes of IGPs anytime a new government comes. When Nana Akufo-Addo came, we had the first IGP, we had the second one, and Dampare became the third one. There were changes, but nobody jubilated, nobody did anything at the National Headquarters,” he stated.
COP Mensah questioned why officers at the National Headquarters and various police stations were openly celebrating the transition, suggesting that their reactions may reflect dissatisfaction with the previous leadership.
“When Akufo-Addo took over, the then IGP was retired, but nobody jubilated. Why are the police jubilating now? That should tell you what they were going through during his period.
When Mr Oppong Boadu was changed and Dampare was appointed, nobody jubilated. Why is it that police officers are jubilating at the National Headquarters and all the police stations? That should tell you something,” he said.
He expressed his hope saying that the new IGP would bring positive reforms. “I am not happy with the jubilation, but I am happy with the change in leadership because now we are going to have a leader who will listen and who will do the right thing,” he said.
The retired COP was once accused of undermining the immediate past IGP to the point that a parliamentary committee was set up to probe an alleged plot by him and others to get Dampare out of office.
