Photo: New Democrat

Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission Boss, Counsellor Frances Johnson-Allison

The just released U.S. Human Rights Report on Liberia has asserted that police corruption was a problem in 2012. According to the 2012 U.S. Human Rights Report, the Liberia National Police(LNP) during the year the LNP investigated reports of police misconduct or corruption, and authorities suspended or dismissed several LNP officers.

The report further asserted: "In April LNP authorities fired an officer for criminal activities and prohibited conduct. Another LNP officer was detained at the same time and was undergoing investigation on charges of fraud and theft for the alleged withdrawal of salaries of four other officers from Ecobank amounting to $1,730." The Ministry of Justice(MOJ), the report explained, has responsibility for enforcing laws and maintaining order within the country, including overseeing the LNP and the National Bureau of Investigation. The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) provides external security but also has some domestic security responsibilities, primarily through the coast guard.

"An estimated 7,000 UNMIL peacekeepers and 1,300 UN police officers (UNPOL) had significant responsibility for maintaining security, although the LNP took on increasing responsibility. Approximately 460 UNPOL advisors and 844 officers in the UN Formed Police Units (FPU) assisted with monitoring, advising, and mentoring the LNP," the report stated.

The report continued: "Approximately 1,200 UNMIL troops withdrew during the year; there were plans to reduce the number of foreign peacekeeping troops to 3,700 by the end of 2015. Three additional FPUs were expected to be deployed to bolster security while local civilian law enforcement capacity was being built."

The report mentioned that the LNP operated independently and retained arrest authority. "UNPOL advisors regularly accompanied LNP officers on joint patrols. In addition to its regular force, the LNP comprised a Police Support Unit (PSU) that received additional training in crowd and riot control, with the 20 highest-rated officers in each training class selected for weapons training."

"The ERU received specialized training and was charged with conducting special police operations in antiterrorism, hostage rescue, internal security, tactical anticrime, and search-and-rescue situations. The PSU and ERU were better trained and equipped than the regular LNP force."

Regular LNP officers, the report averred, remained poorly equipped, ineffective, and slow to respond to criminal activity, although the foot patrol program continued to show improvement in strategic areas. Police had limited transportation, logistics, communication, and forensic capabilities, and they did not have the capacity to investigate adequately many crimes, including murders.

"The lack of a crime laboratory and other investigative tools hampered police investigations and evidence gathering, which, in turn, hampered prosecutors' cases. Training and assistance by international donors supported some improvements within the LNP," the report among other things added.