By Amin Kef Sesay
Security, investment and development are intrinsically linked. As such, it is paramount that the Police perform exemplarily at all times its key role of providing adequate security which enhances the confidence of the general public, business people and investors to go about their businesses with little or no fear of breakdown of law and order that would result in extensive loss of lives and properties.
However, to state that the country’s so-called “Force for Good” continue to deliver a high level of service to the nation is highly debatable at whatever level of society the issue is dropped.
To start with, the Sierra Leone Police faces resource constraints in the deployment of personnel, equipment and the emerging requirements of maintaining law and order and other emerging security threats in a rapidly changing and technological environment.
There is very little doubt that for a long time, the SLP has lacked the much needed leadership required to make it win the confidence and trust of the majority of the people that it serves; giving rampant allegations of indiscipline, corruption, bribe taking and perversion of the course of justice levied justifiably or unjustifiably by the public against the men and women of the Force for Good.
As former IG Francis Munu noted, if the police works more, and Government generates more revenue increased investments will be attracted to this country because of its stability and maintenance of law and order and such will benefit the entire country.
As such, IG Sovula’s greatest challenge would be how to implement strategies that would ensure that the SLP becomes dedicated to working more and harder to meet its core deliverables of securing the sanctity of the State and to protect life and property.
The Police role is to create a healthy environment for healthy political institutions to develop. As such, second and very critical to maintaining peace in the country is allegations by political parties in opposition that when it comes to public order and the monitoring of elections and campaigns, the Force for Good always shows bias towards members and supporters of the ruling party.
In its relationship with Government, the force for good has a sacred obligation to ensure at all times the greater good of society in the exercise of their functions by conscientiously doing what is legally permissible in law.
A stable and peaceful environment is conducive to inward investment, growth and economic development. These engines of prosperity are guaranteed by the effective management of internal policing and a deliberate attention to the protection of life and property under the law.
On a very broad nationalistic canvas, the operations of the SLP should support whichever Government is in power to ensure that the State and its people are peaceful and law abiding at all times by applying the law impartially and indiscriminately against offenders, whatever their standing in society. Only that way will the SLP gain the confidence and trust of the people that it lost.
Agreed that a functional Police providing opportunities for career development and enhanced welfare of personnel, the new SLP leadership should ensure that recruitment into the force is based strictly on qualification and comportment, the first critical step towards ensuring having a disciplined law abiding force that would greatly aid the Government and the ACC in the fight against corruption.
Lawlessness and a controversial policing environment challenge the integrity of the SLP as law enforcers. The move to community policing so that the force can deliver a service level commensurate to the community expectations and the priorities of their stakeholder cohorts is also a matter of concern that should engage the minds of the new police leadership.
The establishment of the Independent Police Complaints Board to conduct impartial investigation and evaluation of wrongdoing against the force does not seem to be too effective.
The police need more resources to cope with the increasing service delivery demands. But with the Government severely financially constrained, SLP should implement well controlled activities based on management, administration and operational structures.
