The Liberia National Police and UNPOL on 16 January held the first of what will be a series of press conferences this year. “Armed robbery has been reduced and LNP now maintains a no-nonsense approach toward criminality,” Police Commissioner John Nielsen told journalists at LNP’s headquarters in Monrovia. That zero tolerance would be extended to its own ranks: two senior LNP officers were recently arrested in relation to a bank robbery.
Inspector General Clarence Massaquoi said that the LNP is “prepared to assume its full statutory duties from UNMIL.” This was already underway in Foya and Robertsport with other areas on the way. The number of officers would be increased from 4,500 to 8,000, whilst training and recruitment were ongoing, said Nielsen. “With general crime reduced because of professional and aggressive police actions, the quality of life of citizens has increased,” the Commissioner told UNMIL Today.
Among other things, the Inspector General talked about a new building outside the LNP headquarters where people could go to register complaints against the police; the establishment of new police depots and stations around Liberia; the “successful” deployment of LNP officers along the Ivorian/Liberian borders; LNP’s need for more ‘logistics’ such as vehicle and uniforms; and the success of operation ‘Safe Haven’ – the curfew imposed on motorcyclists in Monrovia which has helped reduce crime.
