The Editor,
The Liberian National Police is one of the security institutions that interacts with the public on a daily basis; because by law they are responsible for the internal security of Liberians.
It is an open secret that public trust, logistics and training, are amongst issues confronting the National Police force.
What the Liberian National Police needs now is to maintain a high level of trust from the public and build confidence as other Police forces are doing around the world.
The appointment of a new leadership is not any NEWS now but old folks making a comeback and in new coating. All eyes are now on them to see how they will direct the day to day actives of the LNP.
As you are aware, every day Police officers are in the street corners trying to direct traffic on congested streets throughout the country, settling disputes between people in communities amongst others but yet they are amongst the least pay government workers.
Leadership has come and gone but it remains a challenge to build “A force for good” as the President of Liberia always stressed when referring to the Liberian National Army.
LNP officers are poorly fortified and ineffective, thus making them slow to respond to criminal activities.
Public confidence is serious and as such our Police must have a leadership that will design robust programs, be more community friendly, interactive and not reactive in their operations.
Also, the LNP must have a leadership that will not be self-center, divisive, not prioritize favoritism but one who will arrange training, and empowerment of Police officers amongst others issues.
Worst of all on the contrary, some Police Officers on a daily basis are engaging in all forms of criminal and unlawful activities including arm robbery, extortion of money and other valuables from people, compromising cases including, rape, criminal investigation, and used as medium to suppress others once given bribed by some people in society.
Because of these actions by some members of the Police, people have lost confidence in the force. Some brutally handle matters into their own hands, something which is against the Liberian law.
A Country struggling to sustain its democracy after years of unrest and breakdown of its system, security of the country has been turned over to the government just on the edge of a crucial elections period in Liberia.
I strongly believed that the Police will need a leadership to guide a force that will identify and arrest criminals, detect and fight crimes, maintained pubic order amongst others. The three Units of the Police force which include: Administration, Operations, and Training must distribute resources adequately in all departments and provide funding to properly operate as they depend on each other.
Incentives: Police officers are amongst the lease security apparatus provided incentives, logistic, uniform and other benefits in spite of their numerals sacrifices to the state and its people. A very small budget is approved by the Legislature for the Police, something officials of the Police have advocated for increment.
Capacity building: It is no doubt that constant training for the police can’t be over emphasized as there are damaging reports from international organization against the Police terming them as one of the most corrupt force in the security apparatus and unqualified professionals.
Former Police Commander is on records for crying out publicly about limited resources for the Police thus making it difficult to operate effectively.
The Police Former Boss Massaquoi, sought foreign partners to invest in the country’s Police force which point out to the fact that there are more urgent need to build a force for good service oriented.
Over the years, funding from various operations in the Police has greatly come from foreign partners like the United State, EU, ECOWAS, UNMIL, AU, UNDP, amongst others aimed at buttressing and building the capacities of the force.
It is important that the current leadership put aside their personal interest and focus more on the LNP force.
Recruitment and training for Police must also top their priority aimed at promoting professionalism, quality and begin deployment in various counties, aimed at making them accessible to the public mainly the rural areas.
The Liberia National Police is all we have to save guide out people.
Nathan Charles, Contributing Writer
[email protected]