Police recruits face suspension

By JACKLYN SIRIAS
POLICE are expected to suspend 37 of the 234 officers who had graduated last month at the Bomana police college for alleged misconduct.
College commandant Peter Philip told The National that the 37 officers had been harassing new intakes at the college. Philip said the new officers had been verbally abusing the recruits, forcing them to strip and put their clothes in the rain, ordering them to do push-ups and forcing them to do all sorts of exercises in the barracks.
“They punched them and told them to be strong as it was the treatment they got,” he said. “I am not sure who mistreated these officers that way so they are trying to pass that onto the new ones coming in.”
Philip said his staff alerted him on Saturday after they watched how one of the recruits was verbally abused.
He immediately ordered the 37 to go and see him.
“Instead of responding to my command, they left the barracks and fled,” he said.
Philip engaged 15 police vehicles with 105 police officers to round up the 37 officers.
He told them to surrender all their uniforms and any police property in their possession on Saturday night before being taken to the cell at the Gordon Police Station. They will be charged and then suspended, he said.
“This should send a warning to the new recruits and those wishing to join in the future that the Bomana Police College is not a place to come and mess up. We want to produce the best police officers who will go out and serve the community.”