Trigger-happiness and the human liver

THE POLICE force has produced some of the country’s best dancers, but when it comes to shooting, I cannot vouch for all of Peter Nanfuri’s men. Most of them are excellent marksmen, but as for some, they whimsically believe that a warning shot must be targeted at a human jaw to make it effective. The shot must warn the jaw not to misbehave.

Coming back to dancing, I must stand at ease and doff my hat to the police force. I do not know whether Honourable Peter dances stylishly. But I have attended at least two parties organised by policemen and I was doubly impressed by the rare showmanship of inspectors, superintendents, commissioners, constables and all. I called a corporal friend aside and asked whether dancing was part of the syllabus at Police College.

Indeed, I was overwhelmed, even awe-inspired at the high quality of individual choreographic spins, jerks, twists and turns. As the climax approached at one such party, a sergeant, determined to steal the show, almost ‘took to flight’ in one of Sıkaman’s most celebrated choreographic exhibitions. Virtually airborne, he combined traditional dance styles with Pentecostal boogie and ended up break-dancing, triggering off a standing ovation.

But it was a lady corporal who finally sent the crowd into a frenzy. She did not only belly-dance; her body was vibrating as if it had been connected to electricity. It was a marvel. I have never been so much impressed in life.

Actually, I do not know why police staff do not contest in national dance competitions. They can have a try at it, why not? Just like journalists planning to try their hands at boxing part-time, to supplement their income.

We’ve got some pen-pushers whom you could mistake for fierce welter-weights or formidable super-featherweight, Azumah Nelson type. We are also privileged to have a few southpaws and I’m thinking about getting into the heavyweight division and ask Kofi Coomson to be my sparring mate. The only problem is that I can’t guarantee the safety of his ribs, taking into consideration that he is not quite macho.

He’d have to ‘beef up’ before we meet.

Yes, returning to the palaver of the police, I must say unreservedly that some bad nuts are embarrassing the force. It is for very good reasons that the Police Administration is about to institute a special judicial tribunal to try its personnel who resort to rampant and careless use of firearms, to the extent that a warning shot into the air can mysteriously wind up someone’s liver.

On many occasions, I have been surprised  because the police are well-trained and remember they once won a shooting contest, they beat the army and navy to second and third  places. So how come that some of them mishandle weapons so childishly as to cause injury when there should be no cause for it?

The Inspector-General of Police’s embarrassment is evinced in his words. He observes that various accidents resulting from now indiscriminate “stray” bullets and warning shot give the impression that the police aren’t properly, trained in weapons handling.

 “Members of the public have become so aggrieved and intolerant that they are not even prepared to listen to official explanations on how the accidents happened, “he said.

Well, until the police sort themselves out as to those who are hopelessly incompetent in handling weapons aim who are not, I do not think it would be prudent to make policemen use live ammunitions in public unless the situation really demands it. Other means of subduing recalcitrant are available – rubber bullets, blank shots, tear gas, etc.

When tear gas was recently used at Legon during a students’ demonstration, it was quite effective in dispersing them.  I didn’t know student could run that fast on empty stomachs. Some did not eat breakfast before joining the demo, but when the tear gas came, they exhibited excellent footwork, taking off in Olympic fashion, Bravo!

In any case, the topic cannot be exhausted without reflecting on another aspect of the IGP’s speech at the opening of a refresher course for Police Inspectors. He noted that even if a police Officer suffers any form of death at the hands of a criminal in the course of protecting life and property, the tragedy of the policeman’s death does not evoke any sympathy whatsoever from the public.

I think that is a good point to ponder, and it brings into question the idea of self-defense on the part of policemen. Should a policeman, for instance, kill a criminal who is out to cause harm or death to him? It needs to be debated because both the policeman and the dangerous criminal have the right to life.

Anyhow, the embarrassment being caused to the IGP by some careless policeman is well expressed. The problem is that when a policeman fires a warming shot that causes injury, people do not blame only the policeman. They also blame the government. It is just like someone who blamed the government when his mother-in-law slapped him hard in the eye. I don’t know whether he wanted the government to receive the slap on his behalf.

At any rate, customs officers who are also trigger-happy and misuse weapons in the performance of their duties will be sanctioned. In fact, they’ll be sacked! Sounds deterring isn’t it?

This article was first published on Saturday November 14, 1998