Communicating Justice

by Peter A. Fahn

Monrovia, Liberia, September 2008 -- President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s recent comment that there are some ‘bad apples’ in the newly restructured Liberian National Police (LNP) has fuelled a debate on whether the public can trust the police.

On July 9, 2008, President Sirleaf during a press conference in Monrovia said “there are some bad apples” in the Liberian National Police.” She asserted that because of the questionable records of some officers, the public is yet to have full confidence in the police. She said part of the reason why the police have not been able to effectively combat crimes is because some officers are aiding and abetting criminals.

“The fact that some police officers have been caught in criminal activities, it suggests that the vetting process had problem,” the president stressed. She hinted that the government is contemplating the possibility of re-vetting the police to weed out the ‘bad apples.’  The president gave no further details.

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in Accra, Ghana in 2003, by the Government of Liberia (GOL), defunct warring factions and other stakeholders mandated the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to lead the reform and restructuring process of the police in collaboration with the GOL.

One of the requirements for the new police, according to the agreement, was not to allow persons with proven records of human rights violations and questionable character to enlist. The purpose of the measure, signatories to peace agreement said, was to restore public confidence in the police. The United Nations Mission in Liberia started the reform of the police in 2006 following the general and presidential elections.  The Mission announced early this year that it had completed training of over 3,500 police officers.

In spite of the public scepticism on the success of UNMIL’s efforts to reform the police, the body has boasted that it has completed the restructuring process. In an interview with this reporter on Friday, September 5, 2008, UNMIL’s Spokesperson, Ben Malon said “Liberians need to be proud of the new police. Police officers are no longer up in the streets brutalizing civilians.”

He said part of the Mission’s success in reforming the police included the building of police stations mainly in rural Liberia and deployment of police in many parts of the country. Other progress made, he added, is the provision of uniforms and other materials to the new police force.

Malon said UNMIL’s focus at the moment is on improving the quality of the police performance in the field. He said although Liberians deserve a police force they can trust, the public also has a responsibility to report misconduct and police corruption.

“We are all in it together. The public needs to help UNMIL and government to build a professional police force,” he stressed.

However, he said, the Liberian National Police are faced with logistical problems including transportation.  He added that although the governments of Germany, Norway, Nigeria and other countries have donated vehicles for police operations, there is a need for fuel and lubricant.  He said the government of Liberia needs to allocate a big chunk of the national budget to the police to improve their operational capacity.

The UN Mission’s spokesperson told this reporter that UNMIL is not considering re-vetting the Liberian National Police. 

Authorities of the Liberian National Police have also defended themselves against public criticisms of unprofessionalism on the part of some officers and lack of public trust. The Police spokesperson, Lewis Norman, told The New Liberia newspaper on Tuesday, September 9, 2008 that the police are now more professional than three years ago. He said: “I believe that there should be a pat on the back of the police for weeding out criminals from the organization.”

Meanwhile, other members of the public including ordinary persons in Liberia have also expressed concerns regarding the restructuring of the police by UNMIL.  Michael Yorwah is officer- in- charge at the Centre for Democratic Empowerment (CEDE), a local civil society organization. He told this reporter in an interview Tuesday, September 9, that “civil society organizations had limited input in the police reform and restructuring exercise. We think that those that applied were not properly vetted.”

In an effort to solicit views of ordinary Liberians on the restructuring of the police carried out by UNMIL, this reporter  asked several persons. Sarah Williams, a petit trader in Monrovia, said the some members of the police are corrupt. She said police officers often extort money from taxi drivers and even street sellers. Abu Barkar, a Guinean national and a high school teacher, said the police are not professional in carrying out arrest and interrogation. “I want the government to really teach police officers about human rights,” he said.

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Peter Fahn. Monrovia, Liberia, September 2008
Photo © Julia Crawford, BBC WST.

This report was selected as best newspaper feature produced during the Communicating Justice follow-up training in Monrovia from September 1 to 12, 2008.