MONROVIA – The Inspector General of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Col. Patrick Sudue, has told members of the Senate Budget Committee that Liberia is currently disconnected from the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) due to budgetary constraints faced by the LNP.
He said, the headquarters of the Liberia National Police has been without internet for more than six months. Therefore, the LNP, according to him, the police is not able to stay in touch with other countries.
The International Criminal Police Organization, commonly known as Interpol, is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control.
Col. Sudue lamented that there was no allotment for internet facility for the headquarters of the Liberia National Police.
“We are down because of the internet service which is not good at all for the Police and Liberia. We cannot be out of communication with the rest of the world.
“The world now is discussing terrorism and we need to be in contact with the rest of the world. Right now, if Liberia wants to put up a red flag for a felon we cannot because our system is down.”
In his deliberation, the police chief also informed members of the Senate Budget Committee that because of financial constraints, five hundred officers of the Liberian National Police have not received salaries for months ranging from 1 to 12.
“Honorable Senators, these officers are aggrieved and becoming impatient. One of the officers informed me that his wife has left him because she believed he is supporting another home because of the prolonged delay in getting salary,” Col. Sudue said.
Col. Sudue further lamented that most of the police depots in Monrovia and its environs are rented structures and rent for these depots are expiring.
“For example, the Police Depot on Center Street, Central Monrovia rent has expired and the landlord wants us out of there. To remove the depot from Center Street will send out a very bad security signal. We must do everything to prevent it,” he said.
Like the police, the Liberia Immigration Service is also faced with similar constraints and according to the Immigration, there is a court litigation against them for arrears for their headquarters at Gbangay Town, Airfield.
He said, the current LNP lacks the ability to motivate its officers of and the current breed of police officers are working because of the passion for the police.
In response to the Police boss Mr. Samora Wolokollie of the Ministry of Finance denied the claims that money allotted for the police hasn’t been transferred.
It can be recalled that in September 2020, Col. Patrick Sudue wrote the House of Representatives seeking an additional budgetary appropriation of US$6,317,831 for its operations in FY2020/2021 to enhance the LNP’s capacity in combating crimes and maintaining law and order.
He stated the LNP budget has often not been adequate enough to fund the many line items and operational activities of the LNP, including but not limited to fuel and lubricants for vehicles and generators’ operations, purchase of uniforms and accessories to ensure that police are neatly dressed, purchase of vehicles, repair and maintenance of vehicles and other assets to enhance police response and travel allowances.
“From experience and analysis of our past performance, the Liberian National Police has been suppressed and constrained in carrying out its duties and responsibilities due to very minimum budgetary allocation, especially for special operations and goods and services,” he said.
