Patrick Kwateng Acheampong
Encyclopedia
Patrick Kwateng Acheampong (əˈtʃæmpɒŋ; born 25 March 1951) is a barrister
and was the Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service
(IGP).
at the Adisadel College
between 1962 and 1969 where he obtained his GCE O-level
and A-level certificates. He then entered the University of Ghana
where he obtained a law degree in 1972. He next attended the Ghana Police College, qualifying with the Certificate in Police Duties in 1976. He was also awarded the Sword of Honour for being the Best Cadet Officer in his batch. He qualified as a barrister
from the Ghana Law School in 1977. In 1988, he studied at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, gaining the Certificate in management development. In 1990, he obtained the M.A.
(Police Studies and Criminal Justice) degree from the University of Exeter
in the United Kingdom
where he passed with distinction in his written examinations.
, Acheampong first worked as a prosecutor at the law courts in Accra
from September 1976. He was then appointed as the Executive Secretary to the IGP at the Ghana Police headquarters in June 1979. During the PNDC
era, he became the Assistant Special Public Prosecutor at the Office of the Special Public Prosecutor of the National Public Tribunals of Ghana, a function he performed till June 1986. He was the District Police Commander for Tema
Community One from May 1982 to June 1984. From May to August 1986, he became the Accra Central District Police Commander. He then worked as the Officer in charge of Special Duties at the National Police Headquarters until October 1988. He was next posted to the Northern Region
of Ghana as the Deputy Regional Police Commander in February 1990, a position he held for the next two years. Acheampong was the Regional Police Commander in the Northern and then the Ashanti Region
s between February 1992 and October 1996. He then worked at the National Police Headquarters in Accra
as the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Administration.
for a year beginning March 1997. Between March 1997 and May 1998, he was an instructor at the UNCIVPOL Pre-Mission Training School at Sarajevo
, Bosnia
while attached to the ‘Sarajevo Center' Police Station Investigations Unit. He performed the same instructor role at the UNCIVPOL Pre-Mission Training School at Zagreb
, Croatia
between May and September 1998.
(CID) in February 2001. It was during his tenure that the serial murderer Charles Quansah
was arrested. In August 2002, he became the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations) and was also the Acting chairman of the National Election Task Force which supervised the security arrangements for the 2004 presidential
and parliamentary
elections in Ghana in December 2004. On March 25, 2005, he was appointed by President of Ghana
, John Kufuor
as the Inspector General of Police, his 54th birthday.
, John Atta Mills, he stated at a press conference that he was voluntarily proceeding on leave prior to retirement.
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and was the Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service
Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service
The Inspector General of Police is the most senior Police Officer in Ghana. The IGP is appointed by the President of Ghana acting in consultation with the Council of State. The IGP is the head of the Police service and is responsible for the operational control and the administration of the Police...
(IGP).
Education
Patrick Acheampong had his secondary educationSecondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
at the Adisadel College
Adisadel College
Adisadel College is an Anglican school for boys in Cape Coast, Ghana, modelled on the English public school.-History:Adisadel was established in 1910 in a building at Topp Yard, near Christ Church and Cape Coast Castle...
between 1962 and 1969 where he obtained his GCE O-level
General Certificate of Education
The General Certificate of Education or GCE is an academic qualification that examination boards in the United Kingdom and a few of the Commonwealth countries, notably Sri Lanka, confer to students. The GCE traditionally comprised two levels: the Ordinary Level and the Advanced Level...
and A-level certificates. He then entered the University of Ghana
University of Ghana
The University of Ghana is the oldest and largest of the thirteen Ghanaian universities and tertiary institutions. It is one of the best universities in Africa and by far the most prestigious in West Africa...
where he obtained a law degree in 1972. He next attended the Ghana Police College, qualifying with the Certificate in Police Duties in 1976. He was also awarded the Sword of Honour for being the Best Cadet Officer in his batch. He qualified as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
from the Ghana Law School in 1977. In 1988, he studied at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, gaining the Certificate in management development. In 1990, he obtained the M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(Police Studies and Criminal Justice) degree from the University of Exeter
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
where he passed with distinction in his written examinations.
Career
In the Ghana Police ServiceGhana Police Service
The Ghana Police Service is the main law enforcement agency of Ghana. The service is under the control of the Ghanaian Ministry of the Interior.-Functions:The service was established to perform the following functions:#the detection of crime;...
, Acheampong first worked as a prosecutor at the law courts in Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
from September 1976. He was then appointed as the Executive Secretary to the IGP at the Ghana Police headquarters in June 1979. During the PNDC
Provisional National Defence Council
The Provisional National Defence Council was the name of the Ghanaian government after the People's National Party's elected government was overthrown by Jerry Rawlings, the former head of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council. This was on December 31, 1981. It remained in power until January 7,...
era, he became the Assistant Special Public Prosecutor at the Office of the Special Public Prosecutor of the National Public Tribunals of Ghana, a function he performed till June 1986. He was the District Police Commander for Tema
Tema
Tema is a city on the Atlantic coast of Ghana, lying east of the Ghanaian capital city, Accra, in the region of Greater Accra. As of 2005, Tema had a population of 209,000. The Greenwich Meridian passes directly through the city...
Community One from May 1982 to June 1984. From May to August 1986, he became the Accra Central District Police Commander. He then worked as the Officer in charge of Special Duties at the National Police Headquarters until October 1988. He was next posted to the Northern Region
Northern Region (Ghana)
The Northern Region is the largest area of Ghana. As of 2009, it is divided into 20 districts. The region's capital is Tamale. Climatically, religiously, linguistically, and culturally, the region differs greatly from the politically and economically dominating regions of central and southern...
of Ghana as the Deputy Regional Police Commander in February 1990, a position he held for the next two years. Acheampong was the Regional Police Commander in the Northern and then the Ashanti Region
Ashanti Region
The Ashanti Region is the third largest of 10 administrative regions in Ghana, occupying a total land surface of 24389 square kilometers or 10.2 per cent of the total land area of Ghana. In terms of population, however, it is the most populated region with a population of 3,612,950 in 2000,...
s between February 1992 and October 1996. He then worked at the National Police Headquarters in Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
as the Deputy Commissioner in charge of Administration.
International assignments
Acheampong was the Deputy Contingent Commander of the United Nations Peace Keeping Operations in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
for a year beginning March 1997. Between March 1997 and May 1998, he was an instructor at the UNCIVPOL Pre-Mission Training School at Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
while attached to the ‘Sarajevo Center' Police Station Investigations Unit. He performed the same instructor role at the UNCIVPOL Pre-Mission Training School at Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
between May and September 1998.
Return to Ghana
In September 1998, he was appointed the Commandant of the Ghana Police College. He is credited with overseeing the re-organisation and restructuring of the college. He became the Director, Criminal Investigation DepartmentCriminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
(CID) in February 2001. It was during his tenure that the serial murderer Charles Quansah
Charles Quansah
Charles Papa Kwabena Ebo Quansah is a convicted Ghanaian serial killer who was arrested in February 2000 for the murder of his girlfriend Joyce Boateng....
was arrested. In August 2002, he became the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations) and was also the Acting chairman of the National Election Task Force which supervised the security arrangements for the 2004 presidential
Ghanaian presidential election, 2004
The Ghanaian presidential election was held in the Republic of Ghana in West Africa on 7 December 2004. Parliamentary elections were held on the same day.There were four candidates:*George Aggudey...
and parliamentary
Ghanaian parliamentary election, 2004
The Ghanaian parliamentary election was held on 7 December 2004. Presidential elections were held on the same day.-Results:-See also:*List of Ghana Parliament constituencies*MPs elected in the Ghana parliamentary election, 2004-External links:**...
elections in Ghana in December 2004. On March 25, 2005, he was appointed by President of Ghana
President of Ghana
The President of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana. Officially styled President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghanaian Armed Forces. The current President of Ghana is Prof. John Atta Mills, who took office in January...
, John Kufuor
John Kufuor
John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor was the second president of the 4th Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the African Union...
as the Inspector General of Police, his 54th birthday.
Retirement
Acheampong retired from the Ghana Police Service in January 2009. Although some reports suggested that he had been forcibly retired by the new Ghanaian presidentPresident of Ghana
The President of Ghana is the elected head of state and head of government of Ghana. Officially styled President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghanaian Armed Forces. The current President of Ghana is Prof. John Atta Mills, who took office in January...
, John Atta Mills, he stated at a press conference that he was voluntarily proceeding on leave prior to retirement.