Director of the Faculty of Academic Affairs and Research at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Prof Kwesi Aning has condemned the rate at which Police officers are using violence against citizens of the country.

He noted that he has observed a trend whereby Police officers in the country are becoming "trigger happy" in their operations.

Speaking on the Super Morning Show, on Wednesday, he stated that this trend is worrying and needs to be checked.

“There are extremely disturbing individual cases across Ghana in which Police officers have used unreasonable force against citizens resulting in injuries and death.”

He further touched on the attitude of "a few bad nuts in the Police Service," stressing that all these are indications that there is a credibility gap in the Service.

"As we travel on Ghana’s highways the performance and behavior of a few bad nuts in the Ghana Police Service leave a lot to be desired; the intimidation, the deliberate blatant extortion of money from passengers, the lies around the use of the speed guns, intimidating drivers in instances where the vehicle is not doing that speed, [shows] there's a credibility gap here," he said.

Professor Aning made these remarks while, expressing his opinions on the ongoing disturbances between the Police and the youth of Nkoranza.

In his submission, he noted that there is a need for the Police Headquarters to respond more rapidly when people raise their voices about how local policing is done in order to reinforce the trust of citizens in the Police Service.

“It is critical, particularly taking into consideration where we are located and what is happening around and within us that the trust between communities and the local law enforcement officers that trust is maintained, built upon so that the free flow of information becomes a normal routine,” he said.

The youth of Nkoranza in the Bono East Region has been on a rampage as they attacked the Municipal Police headquarters, demanding justice for Albert Donkor, a 28-year-old trader who was allegedly killed while in Police custody.

During the protest, they freed six other suspects picked up by the Police as armed robbers together with the deceased.

According to JoyNews’ Ohemeng Tawiah, there was total chaos at the Police Station as the youth protested the tagging and subsequent alleged killing of the deceased. They said the deceased was not an armed robber, demanding that those who allegedly killed him in custody must answer.

In expressing their anger, the youth on Tuesday, destroyed vehicles parked at the Municipal Police headquarters, before the reinforcement team arrived to maintain law and order.

Following this development, the Police have beefed up security in the community, to forestall further mayhem. Speaking with Paa Kwesi Schandorf on the AM News on Wednesday morning, JoyNews’ Ohemeng Tawiah disclosed that as of Wednesday morning, the Police have increased their visibility in the area.

He however noted that he cannot predict the next action of the irate youth who have vowed to seek justice for their departed colleague.