The NEWS (Monrovia)
28 April 2008
editorial
Monrovia — For the first time in almost five years, the Liberian government has ordered that the police be rearmed to deter armed criminals and also combat crimes.
Prior to the order, the debate in favor of rearming the police had been met with apprehension out of the concern that if the police were rearmed they would misuse the arms by victimizing innocent citizens and residents as had been witnessed during the civil crisis.
During the civil crisis, security officers including those in the police were used as stooges to prosecute the civil war in which they victimized peaceful citizens and residents.
Although following the end of the war, with the assistance of the United Nations Mission in Liberia, the entire police force was dissolved and a new police force was created to meet internationally accepted standards, many citizens and residents could still not countenance the attempt to rearm the police.
The memories of the barbarity against innocent civilians on the part of security officers including the police was just too much to withstand.
And therefore, for almost five years the new police force went practically bare handed as crimes, especially armed robberies, went on the increase.
But in the midst of persistent public outcries underscoring the need for police vigilance, the police also persistently maintained that very little they could do to combat the armed robbery with bare hands.
There is no doubt that public apprehension over rearming the police was genuine, while at the same time, the police inability to fight all forms of crimes due to inadequate logistics and equipment was also sympathetic.
But whatever the case was, giving the police the benefit of the doubt now by rearming them should be seen as a welcomed move.
The police should see this as a challenge and must endeavor to allay public fears by adhering to regulations on the proper use of firearms.
And in view of the fact that there are miscreants in every profession including the police, authorities must also feel urged in being proactive to the extent of ensuring that miscreants are found and weeded out before the damage.
Police authorities must keep in mind that it would be a betrayal of public trust if the firearms are misused.
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