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Liberia: Give Police the 'Benefit of Doubt'
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
PRESS RELEASE
24 April 2008
Posted to the web 24 April 2008
Monrovia
In the midst of public outcries over the resurfacing of armed robbery activities in the country, the police have disclosed about 47 cases of armed robbery in April.
Police Director Beatrice Munah Sieh disclosed that in collaboration with the United Nations Police, 18 armed robbers have been arrested.
According to the Police Director, three of the armed robbers died apparently while being apprehended and the rest are currently being processed for prosecution.
She assured that the police and its international partners are doing all they could to minimize the increase in armed robbery.
Forty seven cases of armed robbery in one month represent a rise in the crime, and it should be a top priority for the police. These arm robbers have a way to escape whenever they are arrested and taken to court. The reason is arm robbery is a billable offense under our law which should be reversed.
But the police director said although patrols have been beefed up and that the police was committed to providing security, she raised a concern that logistics were inadequate and cited an example that the 450 gallons of fuel allotted to the police for the month of April was also inadequate. "This is not enough: how can we use 450 gallons of gas to provide security throughout Liberia?" she asked.
The director's concerns must be shared through public support for the empowerment of the police to combat armed robberies and other forms of crimes.
The police must be given the requisite tools adequately to fight crimes if the public must enjoy an environment devoid of increase in criminal activities such as armed robberies.
In combating armed robbery, the police must therefore be well armed, for not even the best 'black belt' holder in any police force would dare confront a gang of armed robbers at odd hours of the night with bare hands.
The perception that the police should not be trusted with arms for fear of having the arms misused is a perception that is counterproductive.
If police officers suspect that they are not being trusted, morale would be low thereby undermining their effective performance.
It is therefore hoped that the police director and her men would uphold the enviable ethics of policing as we urge the authorities to give them the 'benefit of the doubt' in arming them adequately with the tools they need.
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We are certain that if this is done, it would help in a great way in curtailing the increased wave of criminal activities.
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