More than 5,000 personnel from the Ghana Police Service are set to be deployed for the upcoming by-election in Akwatia, scheduled for September 2 this year.

Out of this number, 600 officers have completed a five-day intensive training at the High Risk Operations Training Centre (HROT-C) at Akyeremanteng in the Eastern Region.

The training included tactical drills such as rappelling, precision shooting, handcuffing, vehicle stop and search, crowd control and human rights considerations.

The remaining officers are expected to undergo training in public order management.

The Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, led the Police Management Board (POMAB) to close the training, which began last Friday.

Simulation exercise

The closing event featured a simulation exercise to demonstrate the police's preparedness for any incidents during the election.

During the simulation, plainclothes officers, posing as civilians, queued to cast their ballots at a polling centre, peacefully exercising their right to vote.

Drones were deployed to monitor the situation remotely, ensuring quick responses while adhering to operational standards and human rights principles.

The voting was disrupted by a group of heavily built armed men who attempted to snatch the ballot boxes, causing panic among the civilians.

Officers on-site formed a linear extended formation to thwart the attack, leading to the arrest of the suspects, who were taken away in a police Black Maria (a prison on wheels).

Following the simulation, the policemen engaged in precision firing of targets made up of balloons and bottles.

The precision firing is a skill that allows them to target suspects while minimising the risk of casualties.

This exercise was completed successfully in under 30 seconds by 10 officers in two pairs.

The final part of the simulation involved rappelling, where police officers descended from the Akaa Waterfalls mountain into a crowd, with one officer, known as the master rappeller, demonstrating the ability to shoot accurately while descending on a rope.

Preparations

Mr Yohuno stated that although 600 officers would be armed on the ground, the police are committed to ensuring that the by-election is remembered as one of the best in history.

“We are very confident in our preparations and aim for this to be one of the most peaceful elections.”

“If you come quietly to vote, we will welcome you. However, if you intend to cause trouble, we will not allow it.

We are prepared to handle any disruptions before they escalate,” he stated. 

The IGP expressed gratitude to the officers, stressing that the management was confident that their efforts would bring honour to the police administration and the police force as a whole.

He, therefore, urged all stakeholders to comply with all the necessary guidelines for a smooth election.