For years, public confidence in the Ghana Police Service has been waning and recent developments only deepen this erosion of trust. Increasingly, police officers, particularly those assigned to traffic duties, have been associated with an unscrupulous culture, the routine collection of GHC10 or GHC20 from commercial drivers who flout traffic regulations. What may have once been considered isolated incidents have now become so widespread that it risks being mistaken for official policy.
This practice is more than a nuisance as it undermines the very foundations of law enforcement. Police officers are sworn to uphold the law and protect lives, not to negotiate bribes on the nation’s roadsides. Yet, it appears some officers now see the daily collection of “something small” as their primary responsibility, relegating their actual duties to the background. The disturbing implication is that bribery, not service, is becoming the public’s primary association with the police uniform.
The consequences are dire. Trotro drivers and their mates, emboldened by this culture of corruption, no longer respect the authority of the police. They park haphazardly in the middle of busy roads, endanger passengers and obstruct traffic flow, all with the knowledge that a few cedis will erase any wrongdoing. Such negligence not only inconvenience commuters but also puts lives at risk.
A parked vehicle in the middle of the road is more than an annoyance and it is an accident waiting to happen. When law enforcers ignore this danger in exchange for cash, they become complicit in the tragedies that follow.
Beyond the roads, this culture erodes discipline in the broader society. If drivers can openly bribe their way out of penalties, what message does this send to the next generation about accountability and respect for the rule of law? Ghana cannot hope to build a disciplined, law-abiding society if its police officers, the very symbols of authority, are seen as willing accomplices in wrongdoing.
What is even more troubling is the normalisation of this practice. Passengers observe these exchanges daily. Children in ‘Trotro’ vehicles see money change hands between drivers and officers. These scenes teach the wrong lessons that laws are negotiable, that authority can be bought and that integrity is optional. This is how systemic corruption takes root and flourishes.
It is time for the leadership of the Ghana Police Service to take a bold action. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) must not only issue warnings but also enforce strict internal discipline. Officers caught engaging in roadside bribery should face immediate sanctions, including dismissal, where necessary. Anti-corruption units should conduct unannounced checks on traffic officers and drivers who attempt to bribe should be prosecuted alongside errant officers.
Equally, the public has a role to play. Citizens must refuse to normalise bribery by reporting incidents and resisting the temptation to “settle” officers with a token note. Drivers must understand that while paying a bribe may save them a few minutes, it sustains a corrupt system that ultimately endangers everyone.
This editorial is a reminder that the Ghana Police Service cannot serve two masters, public trust and private gain. Every time an officer accepts a bribe, he or she chips away at the dignity of the uniform and endangers the very people they are sworn to protect.
The police must choose service over self-interest and duty over dishonor so that bribery does not become a badge of service. A word to the wise is enough.
