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 paramilitary unit of the Sierra Leone Police is known as the Operational Support Division (OSD).

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 Western, Northern, Southern and Eastern regions. 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 and Change Board, the highest policy making body in the organisation which meets once every week under the chairmanship of the IGP.

Each one of Sierra Leone's 12 administrative districts is headed by a local unit commander. The city of Freetown and its Western Area is under the Freetown Metropolitan Police, a branch of the Sierra Leone Police.

Units

The Sierra Leone Police is divided into the following units:

• Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is primarily responsible for investigating major crimes

• Operational Support Division (OSD) the paramilitary unit 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

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