Repeatedly and without justification, some police officers acting with or without the knowledge of their superiors have visited abusive excesses on members of the media and ordinary citizens.

                            Police Inspector General Munah Sieh

The latest case in point is the August 31, assault and arrest of journalist Rufus J. Paul of the Daily Observer newspaper, who was arrested for what the police called 'trying to cover a raiding exercise without invitation" .

Recently, on July 9, 2007, a violent incident occurred at the National Port Authority in Monrovia involving members of the Liberian National Police, led by Police Inspector General Munah Sieh and some personnel of the National Port Authority's Police Force, in which the police director was directly involved. The situation was so serious it had the propensity to reverse the security situation, had it not been for the able and swift intervention of U.N. peacekeepers in the country.

Subsequently, the Liberian president instituted a board of inquiry headed by National Security Advisor, Boima Fanhnbulleh to undertake a full investigation into the incident. Per the Fahnbulleh committee, Inspector General Sieh was directly responsible for the incident and the recommendation was that Colonel Sieh be fired. Instead, the President of Liberia chose the prerogative to side step and modify the recommendation, by placing the police boss on a "three-month probationary period," and have her undergo strategic management and sensitivity training out of the country to assist her in the discharge of her duties. 

This is not to suggest that any illegal action was taken by President Sirleaf, since the Director of Police serves at the pleasure of the President of Liberia. However, the perception here is that of cronyism.

On the heels of this recommendation, a member of the Liberian Legislature, Lofa County Representative Milian K. Jalabah, injected himself in the matter when he said, "the act committed by the police boss for which the Fahnbulleh Committee called for her dismissal was not really intentional, and therefore she must be forgiven for her action."

The INQUIRER Newspaper of July 20, 2007, further quoted the honorable lawmaker as saying, "...though he (Jalabah) acknowledged the accuracy of the probe of the Fahnbulleh committee and its recommendation, which calls for the dismissal of the police boss is psychologically a punishment by itself." The matter was ultimately handled "the Liberian way - no accountability.

It goes without saying that the separation of powers as maintained in the Liberian Constitution must be respected in order to guarantee a cohesive and wholesome functioning nation.

Prior to her appointment as Inspector General of Police of Liberia, Colonel Sieh spent her days teaching math, science and reading to students with learning disabilities in New Jersey, USA. She started working as a substitute teacher in Trenton, New Jersey in 1997, then took a full-time job in 2000. Ms. Sieh is now in charge of a 3,500-strong police force the United Nations is spending $8.5 million to train.

To date, UNMIL says, 3,522 police officers have been trained in modern policing methods and techniques, including a total of 203 women. At a recent graduation ceremony in July 2007, the then UNMIL Deputy Chief Mr Jordan Ryan urged the new batch of 367 graduating officers in to be "professional in service delivery and accountable to the communities" they serve, at all times.

Where did that admonition go after the graduation program ended? Additionally, why then is it still a challenge for some members of the Liberia National Police in discharging their duties, when they have been trained in modern policing practices, techniques and knowledge? 

Even with these excesses, neither the Justice Ministry nor the office of the Solicitor General have openly called for an investigation of these serious and divisive human rights violations. The conclusion then is that the Justice Ministry shares a lack of effective public accountability and transparency, a persistent failure to investigate and punish officers who commit human rights violations, which in turn lead to a variety of obstacles to achieving liberty and justice for all.

On the other hand, we acknowledge and salute the professional and sacrificial work of hundreds of other men and women of the Liberian National Police who do the right thing everyday, all day.

The job of Inspector General of Police is not an "internship" but for one who is experienced, mature, exemplary, balanced, stable and beyond reasonable reproach in the discharge of his or her professional policing duties. Because police are licensed by the government to carry guns and to use them while performing their duties, the government must be held responsible for protecting people from the terror of some abusive police officers.

Liberia can ill-afford the embarrassment of some "run-away" police officers who are utilizing their position of public trust to prey on defenseless citizens. The Inspector General of Police, Colonel Munah Sieh must be held directly accountable for the abusive acts of some members of her organization. Consequently, its time for her to go!

In an article written on July 29, 2006, entitled "In Defense of Beatrice Munah Sieh", the Atlanta-based Liberian social and political commentator, Mr. Tewroh-Wehtoe Sungbeh adequately summarized the job description of the Police Director when he maintained at the time "...the Police Director has a responsibility to provide equal and fair protection to every citizen and foreigners living in the 15 counties or political sub-divisions of the Republic of Liberia based on the letter of the law, and not on the basis of their ethnicity, national origin and one's status in society."

The Presdient of Liberia should request that the Inspector General of Police resign, or exercise the presidential prerogative of replacing her. It is time for Colonel Sieh to go!

The Ministry of Justice is also culpable for its lack of inaction and inability to exercise control over this arm of that ministry.

A small percentage of officers often harm the image of an entire police force because police superiors are unable or unwilling to act to hold their underlings accountable through supervision, discipline and or dismissal when appropriate.

In an effort to improve the image and conduct of the Liberia National Police, we advance the following recommendations to the office of the new Justice Minister:

- Establish a citizen review board, which will collaborate with the police internal affairs to fairly and thoroughly probe complaints against the police, and publish the findings.

- Appoint an independent prosecutor to prosecute rogue police officers and,

- Promote active community policing, solicit citizens' views on the conduct of the police and undertake a bi-annual review of police arrests and citizens' contact.

And above all, the Justice Ministry, Office of the Solicitor General and the Liberia National Police must enforce the law without fear or favor, in an effort to earn the confidence of the citizenry, business community and our international partners.