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Fifty police personnel have been dismissed in the last seven years for various forms of misconduct as part of the Police Administration�s effort to check excesses among all ranks of the Police Service. A total of 144 others were also interdicted according to Mr. Timothy Asiley, Director-General of the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards (PIPS) Bureau, which is mandated to receive public complaints and monitor the conduct of personnel. The bureau also collates, coordinates and gathers information and intelligence on crimes and criminal acts and prepares statistical data on prevailing crime trends. Among the offences for which officers were sanctioned were unlawful arrest and detention, extortion, harassment, undue delay of investigations, indulging in civil cases, misappropriation of exhibits and unprofessional handling of cases. Mr. Timothy Asiley disclosed this to the Times newspaper on Wednesday after he had briefed a visiting delegation of the Lesotho Ombudsman, on the activities of the bureau.The delegation is in the country on a study tour to learn about eh operations of the bureau following Lesotho�s decision to establish a similar unit. Mr. Ashiley said 5,705 Police officers of all ranks were summoned to PIPS for gross misconduct out of whom 705 were absolved. Cases were proved against the rest of 5,000. Mr. Ashiley said the establishment of the bureau was to forestall the abuse of human rights and monitor the processional standards of personnel to meet international requirements. On the average, he said, the bureau receives 25 petitions daily, either through the Police website which are subsequently forwarded to the office of the Inspector-General of Police for advice. The Director-General in charge of Legal Service and Prosecutions, Mr. Ken Yeboah, said the personnel are tried internally and if their offences fall within the civil order, they are prosecuted in court. He said all suspects have the right to appeal and also hire the services of legal counsel. ACP Yeboah said personnel within the ranks of constable to inspectorate division, have the right to appeal to the Inspector-General of Police if they are not satisfied with their trial while those beyond the inspectorate rank; that is from Assistant Superintendent upwards can appeal to the Police Counsel. The leader of the delegation who is also the Ombudsman, Ms. Matsoana Fanana, suggested that PIPS should be located at another place out of the Police headquarters so that civilians who have cases against Police officers should not feel intimidated. She said the role of the police cannot be over emphasised and it is important that they relate well with the public to have confidence to relay information to them.