Being a police officer is honourable, yet a deadly profession to take on. The personnel put their lives on the line to protect other lives and properties.
Between 2017 and 2021, at least one police officer got killed or died in the line of duty, on average, bringing to a total of 55 police personnel losing their lives within the same period while on duty.
Such deaths are caused by an exchange of gunfire between police and suspects, accidents by police vehicles; suspected suicide, among others. There are numerous police personnel who are nursing life-threatening wounds as a result of their service to the country.
Some got their lives cut short, while others who survived suffered wounds from either gunshot from suspected criminals or terrible accidents.
In a report filed by Citi News’ Security Correspondent, Anas Seidu, he chronicled some of these incidents;
“In 2021, Lannce Corporal Emmanuel Cobby Osei was killed in Accra while escorting a bullion van. 10 others died in the same year. A flag-raising and wreaths laying were done in honour of them. These officers are being celebrated as Fallen Heroes.”
2020, witnessed the highest number of deaths, with 14 officers losing their lives on duty.
Highlights of related deaths in 2019 were the killing of two MTTD officers at Budumburam in the Awutu Senya East Municipality; Sergeant Michael Gyamasi and Lance Corporal Awal Mohammed, who were shot dead by a suspect, Eric Kojo Duah.
In 2017 and 2018, twenty-eight (28) police officers died while on duty. The untimely death of these personnel brings hardship to their family members.
As a stop-gap measure, the President, Nana Akufo-Addo launched a GH¢6.1 million Emergency Medical Intervention Fund to alleviate their predicaments.
The first three beneficiaries of this fund were, Chief Inspector Victor Anako, Inspector Theresa Ohene, and Corporal Isaac Assuman Opoku.
The Fund is said to cater for medical bills of these officers who get injured in the line of duty but due to lack of funds, do not get immediate care, which could either lead to them dying or their condition worsening.
Every year, a day (Police Memorial Day) is set aside to honour the past and shape the future.
The names of these “Fallen Heroes” are engraved on a “Wall of Honor” which is mounted at the Police Cenotaph on the compound of the National Police Training School in Accra.
Fallen heroes who survived combative action have their names written in a “Roll of Honour.”
