Following reports that some 82 police officers have sued the Police Service and the Inspector-General of Police over what they say is the refusal of the police service to promote them after the completion of their studies, it is revealed that the position of the aggrieved personnel is not supported by the Police Service Regulations, 2012 (C.I. 76).
According to regulation 37 of C.I. 76, which speaks on police promotions, promotion in the Police Service is activated by promotional examinations, seniority and length of years in service as well as special recommendation.
Contrary to the claim of the aggrieved officers, C.I. 76 does not make provision for automatic academic promotions upon the attainment of higher academic qualification after study leave.
Indeed, regulation 37(7) of C.I. 76 states:
“An officer who attains higher academic qualification is not entitled to promotion by reason only of that academic qualification.”
The provision is, therefore, emphatic that promotion and study leave are mutually exclusive as far as the Police Service is concerned.
This regulation has been in force since 2012 and has been duly implemented by the Police Administration over the past 11 years.