By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

In a bid to beef up the internal security sector in the country, the Sierra Leone Police has successfully achieved it passing out process on Saturday 11, November, 2023 at their Police Training School (PTS), Hastings Western Rural District.

Speaking during the passing-out ceremony, Inspector General of Police, Fayia Sellu affirmed to newsmen and the people of Sierra Leone that the Squad R1/2023, comprising of 1,100 recruits 803 males and 297 females. Though Basic Recruitment Training for these graduating recruits actually commenced on 16th April, 2023 and lasted for almost seven months.

He added that the hybrid training for Operational Support and regular duties and the decision to have such training was predicated on the need to build the capacity of the Police, so as to better position them to meet emerging challenges.

He said basic recruitment training curriculum is structured in a way that helps to bring out the best in these recruits, with the view to prepare them to meet the demands of policing.

Even though, the whole training for these recruits was categorized into general duty polices and operational support policing. For the general duty policing, the topics covered were Basic Routine Duties, Introduction to Law, Community Policing, Crime and Evidence, Contemporary Issues such as Human Rights and Gender, Road Safety and Management and many other contemporary issues. For operational policing, they covered topics like Public Order Management, Weapon Handling, Field Tactics, Major Events policing, Securing Facilities, etc.

He also noted that the current and emerging crime trends require the police to be better trained and equipped to counter and address the challenges associated with securing our communities.

On the above reasons that the SLP management directs the training directorate to undertake regular training needs assessment, so as to be able to identify training gaps within the Police and then develop training curricula to address these gaps.

“Let me state, that these recruits passing-out today have been better trained and prepared to stand the test of time and to also face the demands of policing the state and citizens of Sierra Leone. Like all other human beings, they are not infallible. It is for this reason that we have preemptively put in place the necessary safeguards and internal control mechanisms meant to checkmate and curtail any excesses of our police officers,” he said.

As a Force For Good I will like reiterate that we have the directorate of professional standards which handles issues of alleged unprofessional conducts of police officers. At all levels of the SLP, we have the Complaint Discipline and Internal Investigations Department (CDIID) and Integrity Management Committees (IMCs). Both the CDIID and IMCs help us to fight indiscipline, graft and other forms of infractions of the Police (Discipline) Regulations.

According to the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Honorable Dr. Jualia Jalloh he encourage the new police officers in to uphold code of conduct and protect live and properties. He added that the government of Sierra Leone will do more in a bid to promote the living standard of the SLP especially in the area of quality education and professional course.

“Sierra Leoneans highly trust the SLP though for protection and morale ethics, as a government, we fully appreciate the tireless work of SLP during the electioneering process. SL was able to hold one of the most peaceful within sub-region (West Africa)”, he commented.

However, for the first in ten years all regimental best performing awards were won by female police officers within billet.

Meanwhile, Madame Hawanatu Trucker from Bonthe District has expressed delighted and appreciation for the wonderful passing out event regarding the outstanding performance of her son.

“I am happy because my son has secured a live time job that will ease the challenge of the family. The dream of Joe Trucker was state policing since school days at least to inherit the legacy of his father. We are highly proud as a family. And he would like to be a Force for Good by God’s grace,” she prayed.