Monrovia – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has been ranked the 16 best in Africa and 106 among 127 countries around the world.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
The ranking by the World Internal Security and Police Index (WISPI) captured 28 African countries in the survey.
It was released by two bodies, the International Police Science Association (IPSA) and the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
21 African countries performed better than Liberia.
However, Liberia also performed better than 105 other African countries captured in the index.
The index ranked Botswana as best in Africa and 47th best in the world, followed by Rwandan police as Africa’s second best, with a global position of 50th.
The third best in Africa is Algeria, with global position of 58, followed by Senegal as Africa’s fourth best police force and a global ranking of 68.
Tunisia ranked 72nd best in the world, which makes that country the fifth best police force in Africa.
The World Internal Security and Police Index ranked Egypt as the 78th best in the world, placing it at sixth position in Africa, followed by Burkina Faso at a global position of 85 to place seventh in Africa.
Liberia ranked the 21 best in Africa and 106 best in the global position, followed by South Africa as ninth best in Africa, with 91st position in the world, while Mali placed 10th in Africa and 92nd globally.
Other African countries captured in the index includes Mali, Sudan, Malawi, Burundi, Ghana, Guinea, Cote d’Ivoire, Tanzania, Madagascar, Zambia, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Cameroun, Mozambique, Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria.
At the top of the global rankings, Europe dominated with eight countries. Except first-place Singapore and Australia in sixth spot, all the other countries were in Europe – Finland, Denmark, Austria, Germany (2nd – 5th), Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland (7th – 10th).
“WISPI measures the ability of the police and other security providers to address internal security issues in 127 countries, across four domains, using 16 indicators,” the report stated. The four domains are capacity, process, legitimacy and outcomes.
It examines how these domains relate to each other and finally to track trends in these domains over time to inform the work of security-providing agencies, researchers, and practitioners in the field of peace and conflict studies, criminology, and police studies
Deputy Commissioner of Police Sam Collins said the LNP is excited about the report, and the excitement is not only for the leadership of the police but the entire membership.
“This rating is being spoken of among the ordinary police officers and we think that it is good for the LNP that all of the efforts that have been put into place can be recognized by an international body that is involved with rating the performances of police bodies around the world. We are very excited about this development coming.”
Collins said one of their greatest achievements has been rebuilding the confidence of the public and the police for the public to trust the police; adding: “We handle many situations and the proper response to these situations has shown confidence boost in this national institution. We are grateful and can attribute this to Col. Gregory Coleman’s disciplinary attitude within the force.”
Collins continued: “All of IG Coleman’s achievements in the LNP are making the police more functional and making the police more public friendly.”
According to him, all of this is geared towards building public confidence in the work that they do.
He further stated that they are confronted with low salary for officers, low incentives and are more concerned about logistics.
“We have not reached where ought to be. We are building morale among the men so they can perform well knowing that they have all of what it takes to do a police job.