The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has expressed interest to collaborate with the University of Cape Coast’s Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) to train its personnel.
As part of the collaboration, the Department of Forensic Sciences will mentor the CID Detective Training Academy (DTA) to run programmes at the certificate to the postgraduate levels.
In view of this development, a delegation from the University visited the CID Headquarters in Accra on Friday 21st December, 2018 to interact with the Director General and top officials of the CID. The delegation from UCC was led by the Head of Department of Forensic Sciences, Dr. Richmond Afoakwah who was accompanied by the Head of Institutional Affiliation Office, Mr. Justice Agyenim Boateng and Ms. Fiona Kudiabor of the Department of Forensic Sciences.
The officials from the CID Headquarters were DCOP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, Director-General, CID, ACP George Tweneboah, Deputy Director-General, CID, ACP Joseph Gyamera Oklu, Director of Operations, CID, ACP Frederick Kwadwo Agyei, Interpol, DSP (Rev) Emelia Nana Yeboah, Staff Officer to DG, CID, and Supt. Benjamin Affisah, Commandant of the Detective Training Academy.
Welcome Address from CID Director-General
Welcoming the delegation from UCC, the Director-General of CID, DCOP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah, said the Police Training Schools had a challenge with accreditation and therefore, certificates awarded to personnel who go through such training were not academically recognised. She noted the collaboration with UCC was to obtain accreditation for the programmes being ran by the CID Detective Training Academy for its personnel. “Our aim is to get accreditation for all the training schools starting with the Detective Training Academy,” she stated.
DCOP Addo-Danquah said the CID was poised to become one of the best investigative bodies in the world, hence, the need to upgrade the training of personnel to meet world standards. She indicated that with UCC Department of Forensic Sciences on board, she was confident that personnel would receive the requisite training to enhance their levels of professionalism in detecting and minimizing crime in the country. She thanked the officials from UCC for coming and indicated her team’s preparedness to collaborate with UCC to make this dream a reality.
UCC is Well-Positioned to Provide Quality Training to CID Personnel
Responding, the Dr. Afoakwah said, his department has been collaborating with the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies in the country for some time now and assured the Director General of mentoring the CID Detective Training Academy to produce quality personnel not only for the Ghana Police Service but other security forces in the country and beyond.
Dr. Afoakwah explained that in his interaction with the Inspector-General of Ghana Police Service, Mr. David Asante-Apeatu, the IGP has repeatedly highlighted his vision to revamp the CID through training of highly skilled and motivated personnel who were positioned to effectively investigate crime. He was, therefore, very delighted that the CID boss had taken this initiative to bring meaning to the IGP’s vision. He noted that UCC was well-positioned with competent faculty and facilities to bring the vision of the IGP into reality. “We need a police service capable of investigating crime in whatever form it may be, and with this collaboration, you are assured of quality training that will provide personnel with relevant skill set to deal with crime in the country,” he assured.
Introduction of Bachelor Programme in Police Science
The Head of DFS, indicated that the Department would soon introduce a Bachelor programme in Police Science to train a pool of highly skilled graduates from which the Police Service and other security agencies could recruit to serve in special areas of their operation. “I must add that we involved some top officials from the Police Service to assist us in drafting the curriculum,” he stated.
Affiliation & Academic Processes for Academic Programmes
On his part the Head of Institutional Affiliation Office, Mr. Justice Agyenim Boateng, explained that any academic programme from Diploma level and above was regulated by the National Accreditation Board (NAB), however the University on its own is mandated to approve certificate level programmes. “So if the current programme at the Detective Training Academy is a certificate level one, then UCC Academic Board will be the approving authority. This means that we can work around the clock to get the programme approved as soon as possible since National Accreditation Board’s involvement will not be required” he clarified. He also noted that before the affiliation could be granted for the collaboration to begin, a team from UCC would have to assess facilities at the training academy to ensure they are up to standard and also make recommendations for upgrade if need be.
Mr. Boateng further explained that the University would review the curriculum to conform to best practice around the world and NAB standards before approving it and finally granting affiliation. He said all these rigorous processes were to ensure that quality would not be compromised adding that “You are aware that UCC does not compromise on its quality standards and because of that our products are highly sought for in Ghana and beyond”.
At the end of the deliberation a consensus was reached that the programme would initially begin at the certificate level for personnel of the CID. Other advanced level training programmes will be drafted for the benefit of Senior CID personnel. It was also agreed that Dr. Afoakwah would liaise with the Commandant of the Detective Training Academy, Supt. Benjamin Affisah to review the existing curriculum. Supt. Affisah would conduct infrastructure audit of the facilities at the Training Academy and also prepare a tentative budget for running the programme.