The Community Watch Forum of Liberia (CWFL) has trained and graduated 1,225 individuals on how to pass on "sensitive information" about criminals and their operations to police and other state security agencies for the prevention or intervention of crime in their various Communities in Bong County.
The community watch forum was established in 2004 by all the countries by UNMIL to assist National security in reporting and somehow helping to curb crimes in Liberia.
CWFL Chairperson, Nyenati Kaffey, said since the establishment of the Community Watch Forum of Liberia by the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the forum continues to buttress the government of Liberia's efforts through the Ministry of Justice in prioritizing the safety of residents in various communities.
"If the community watch forum is not there to give effective information, the LNP job will continue to be difficult," he added.
He said the trained 1,225 watch forum officers will help boost the strength of the Liberia National Police Bong County Detachment efforts in frightening crimes in the 14 administrative Districts in the County.
Kaffey emphasized that out of 1,225 CWFL officers, three hundred are female.
He admonished the newly trained and graduated members of the Community Watch Forum of Liberia that the CWFL is not a political party, adding that CWFL is intended to buttress the LNP efforts in the fight of crime in various Communities.
"You are not a police officer, but you are a referral or assistant officer to the LNP in terms of the prevention of crime and the safety of lives," Kaffey noted.
The Community Watch Forum of Liberia Chairperson at the same time revealed five thematic priorities area beginning from 2024-2029, which include: "Monitoring and Reporting mechanism, Enhancing Community Policing, Creating awareness on anti-drug and identifying the root causes of drug importation in Liberia, Early warning and early response, using the alternative dispute resolution to solve conflicts in various communities, and establishing the Community Watch Forum across Liberia."
Notwithstanding, Atty. J. Nelson Freeman, Deputy Inspector General of Operations at the Liberia National Police, lauded the Chairperson of the Community Watch Forum of Liberia for its continued support to the LNP in helping in the prevention of crime in the County.
He said during the drawdown of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), "they left the government with a mandate to train eight thousand (8,000) police officers in order to police the country."
According to Inspector Freeman, since then, the Government of Liberia has not been able to train the 8,000 police officers, adding that the current police force in Liberia is around 5,000 officers, which he says is challenging for the LNP to assign officers in the various 73 electoral districts nationwide.
He further described the decision of the CWFL officers as rewarding in the fight against crime in Liberia, especially when the presence of LNP officers is not strengthened in their communities.
Inspector Freeman at the same cautioned the trained CWFL officers to uphold the rule of law in their various Communities of assignment.
Speaking on behalf of Bong County Superintendent Hawa Loleyah Norris, the Administrative Officer Sam B. Elliott thanked the Chairperson of the Community Watch Forum of Liberia for the initiative.
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He further pledged Superintendent Norris's commitment to buttressing the Community Watch Forum of Liberia Bong County chapter in helping the LNP in the fight against crime.
Mr. Elliott said the trained CWFL officers will help the Bong County LNP Detachment.
Recently, Bong County Police Commander Fasu V. Sheriff revealed that Bong County has a total of 94 police officers. The county's population is 467,502, as per the report of the 2022 census. This makes Bong the third most populated county in Liberia, with a ratio of one police officer to about 4,973 people.
The CWFL graduation ceremony was held in Gbarnga, Bong County on October 24, 2024 with several local authorities, Ministry of Justice, LNP Officers among others, in attendance.
