Monrovia – Police inspector General-designate Gregory Coleman has promised to combat armed robbery in two weeks if confirmed by the Liberian Senate.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
He told senators at a confirmation hearing Wednesday when he met a Senate Joint Security, Defense and Judiciary Committee that plans are already on the way to tackle the issue of armed robbery.
The Police new boss also advised the senate not to pass a provision in the New Police Act before them that calls for the execution of armed robbers because.
On the issue of terrorism that is gradually taking over the world, the new Police director stressed the need for government to take seriously the issue of terrorism.
“Terrorism is a raising global tension that requires government attention.
We are working with the National Security Agency (NSA) and we are confident that we can save Liberia,” he said.
Inspector General-designate Coleman also requested budgetary allocation for the Police that would address some major constraints in the Police, including uniform for Police officers.
He said because of low budgetary constraints Police officers are compelled to purchase their own uniforms.
Coleman once served as bodyguard to the outgoing Police boss who encouraged him to progress in the force and to get additional training in the academic world, enabling him to enhance his abilities and preparedness to assume the responsibilities of Police Inspector General.
For his part Deputy Police Inspector General for Operations, Col. Abraham Kromah promised that if confirmed he would work to deal with the issue of lawlessness.
Col. Kromah, who in his former position as Deputy Inspector General for Operation had serious rift with commercial motorcyclists, promised to hold his first meeting with motorcyclists around the country.
Responding to question about criticism from the public on how he operated as Police boss, he told members of the senate joint committee that it was not his making but part of his job.
“It was not my making to a larger extent. Tomorrow I will meet the pen-pen riders as a preparatory step and not in disrespect to this honorable body process of confirmation,” he said.
Col. Kromah and Coleman are to assume the titles “Inspector General” and “Deputy Inspector General”, respectively, in conformity with the newly legislated National Police Act.
Making the appointment, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said, the nomination of the duo was manifestation of plan that had been long in the pipeline.
“I say it is been long in the making because the one who was nominated for consideration of the Legislature for commissioning is a long term Police officer himself, one who has been nurtured by the Police director Chris Massaquoi, a one who has served the Police for so many years with diligence and commitment,” President Sirleaf said.
President Sirleaf praised the outgoing Director of the Police Col. Massaquoi for his long service in her government, having also served as Director of the Special Security Services (SSS) now Executive Protection Services and Commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN).
The appointment pronouncement by the President, which is most likely to be the last of such appointment for the Police as the clock ticks towards the end of her administration, comes just three months after the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) turned over security responsibilities to the Liberian security forces.
Despite repeated calls by the Mission for calm, that it has not departed the country, ordinary citizens are still yearning for a full UN presence as the 2017 general and Presidential elections near.