There was a time in our history when the very idea of a female police officer was unheard of. Today, there are thousands sworn female police officers in Sierra Leone.

This progress didn’t just happen overnight, though. It took years of smaller breakthroughs brought on by determined female officers like Rtd. AIG Kadie Fakondo, AIG Betty Turay, AIG Gloria O. V. Tarawally, AIG Memuna Konteh-Jalloh and few others in the face of a world that thought of women as nothing more than caretakers and housewives.
Last week saw another landmark breakthrough for women in the Police Force as a woman was appointed to head the New England Police Station as Officer Commanding OC of the post.

She is ASP MONICA JOHNSON commonly known as Monique de Unique. She is among few of the female Police officers who have broken the status quo and have upheld the adage that what men can do, women can do even better. This quintessential Police officer is a holder of a Masters degree from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom and have worked as a Detective, and one of the best in that field.

She has been in the administrative field over the years and had also
served as operations-minor-officer at Central Police division where she helped to restore sanity and confidence between the Police and the community ….

She also initiated a system to inspire officers at the Central Police division, wherein hardworking police officers were awarded for their hard work and dedication. She has served as lecturer at the Sierra Leone Peacekeeping and Law Enforcement Academy (SILEA) where she has influenced and capacitated so many senior and junior Police officers through her capacity building/development lectures. It is no secret that Integrity, passion for her job and professional ethics has always been her pedigree. Before her recent promotion as OC New England Police, she was Support Officer of the Lumley Division.

Today, her hard work and dedication has been recognized by the highest cadre of the Police force in the country.