Sierra Leone Police

The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is the national police force of the Republic of Sierra Leone, that is primarily responsible for law enforcement and crime investigation throughout Sierra Leone. The Police are not routinely armed but they do have an unit known as the Operations Support Division (OSD) who are trained in the use of firearms. The Sierra Leone Police is headed by the Inspector General of police, who is appointed by the president of Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone Police was established by the British colony back in 1894 and is one of the oldest police forces in West Africa.

Mission

The key mission of the Sierra Leone Police include to prevent crime, to protect life and property, to detect and prosecute offenders, to maintain public order, to ensure safety and security, to enhance access to justice and to ensure police primacy for internal security and safety.

History

A Sierra Leone Police officer of the AMISOM police contingent in Mogadishu.

The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) was established following the founding of the Colony of Freetown in 1808 as a settlement for freed slaves. Police authority then was only restricted to the Colony of Freetown. By 1889 colonial authority had been extended to the provinces. Police authority was also extended to these areas and performed largely paramilitary duties as opposed to the civil police back in the colony. The force at this point became known as the West African Frontier Force.

A Royal Gazette of October 1894 established the Sierra Leone Police Force. Following independence in April 1961, the Sierra Leone Parliament passed the Police Act of 1964 to consolidate and amend the law relating to the organization, discipline, powers and duties of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP).

Efforts were made during the initial post-conflict police reform process to increase the number of women in the police. However, during visits, it was found that newly recruited women police officers were sometimes expected to do little more than cook lunch for their male colleagues.^[1]

Organization

The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is headed by The Inspector General of Police, The professional head of the Sierra Leone Police forces who is appointed by the president of Sierra Leone. The Inspector General of Police is assisted by the Deputy Inspector General of Police. The current Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police is Francis Alieu Munu. The Deputy Inspector General of Police is Richard Moigbel.

At the national command level, are six Assistant Inspector Generals of Police (AIG) with responsibility for Personnel, Training and Welfare; Operations; Crime Services; Support Services; Professional Standards; and the Operational Support Division (OSD), (the armed wing of the SLP). Regional commanders known as Regpols who are also AIGs carry regional responsibilities for the Freetwon West Area, Freetown East Area, North East Area, North West Area, Southern Province and Eastern Province. All of these AIGs assist the IGP and the DIG in the running of the day-to-day affairs of the SLP. This is done through a joined up leadership approach practicalised into an Executive Management Board, the highest policy making body in the organisation which meets once every week under the chairmanship of the IGP.

Working in Partnership

The International Security Advisory Team (ISAT) based in Freetown (UK advisers to the Police, Military and Government of Sierra Leone) currently has two UK Police Officers working with the SLP in order to professionalise the Sierra Leone Police in order to enhance Public Safety and build Community Confidence. There is currently a 12 month programme being run in order to deliver officer safety training, public order command training at Gold, Silver and Bronze level, and tactical public order training. Community policing projects are being rolled out across Sierra Leone, having had a proof of concept in Kambia District, the Eastern Region will now benefit from this concept. Management training is being delivered to include the National Decision Model and Threat and Risk assessments. And in November 2016 a 2 day conference is being hosted to build the capacity of SLP female officers for effective service delivery, efficient use of resources and maximize organisational productivity.

Regions

Each one of Sierra Leone's 12 administrative districts has its own District Police Unit, which is a sub department of each Regional Police Command, whilst there are four administrative regions of Sierra Leone, there are 6 Police Regions. Each one of Sierra Leone's twelve administrative districts is headed by a local unit commander, who are subordinate to the regional police commanders. The capital Freetown is part of the Western Area police division but is split into 2 each being led by an Assistant Inspector General.

Departments

The Sierra Leone Police is divided into the following department s:

• Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is primarily responsible for investigating major crimes
• Operational Support Division (OSD) this unit supports the general duties police and is trained to perform high-risk duties including to control riots, and violence protest.
• Traffic police Unit primarily responsible for enforcing traffic safety and control the movement of traffic in all major highways across Sierra Leone.
• Media and Public Relation Unit responsible for the collection and release of police activities to the public and media.
• Legal and Justice Department responsible of prosecuting civil and criminal cases to court.
• Human Resource Department deals with the welfare, salaries, employments, promotions, benefits and transfers of police officers.
• Community Relations Department (CRD) established to build a working relationship between the police and the public.
• Complaint Discipline Internal Investigation Department (CDID) They receive confidential complaints from public on police activities, and police misconduct.
• Precious Mineral Department responsible of investigating all act related to the country's mineral resourves. They work closely with the Sierra Leone ministry of mines and natural resources.
• Interpol Department investigate criminal affairs link to other countries.
• Family Support Unit (FSU) handles domestic and family issues.

Police Divisions and Leadership

Sources

1. ↑ Anderlini and Conway, 'Security Sector Reform,' in 'Inclusive Security, Sustainable Peace: A Toolkit for Advocacy and Action,' Hunt Alternative Fund and International Alert, 2004, p.35, in Hendricks and Valsek chapter, Security Sector Transformation in Africa, DCAF, 2007, 74

• http://police.gov.sl/content.php?p=12&pn=Team

Sources

• http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_200517877.shtml
• http://www.awoko.org/2011/07/27/civil-society-celebrates-international-day-of-justice/
• http://www.awoko.org/2011/05/17/kamboi-eagles-defeat-ports-authority-2-1/
• http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/9771
• http://www.freetowndailynews.com/north%20-%20Copy%20-7%20-%20Copy.html
• http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/printer_200518654.shtml
• http://www.thetorchlight.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=986:kambia-police-to-*curb-illegal-crossing-points&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=27
• http://www.sierraexpressmedia.com/archives/3258
• http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_200518521.shtml
• http://www.awoko.org/2010/05/10/police-deployed-to-s-l-liberia-border-to-avert-security-threat/
• http://ip-184-168-28-105.ip.secureserver.net/front-page/item/678-big-shakeup-in-the-police-hierarchy
• http://news.sl/drwebsite/exec/view.cgi?archive=5&num=9121&printer=1

External links

• Homepage

Security forces of Sierra Leone
Ministry of Defence and National Security Armed Forces Police

Sierra Leone articles
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