Congratulation to the newly appointed director of the Liberia National Police Mr. Patrick Sudue, we envision a new dawn in the Liberia National Police by his appointment. Because he went through the walls of the Liberia National Police under the supervision of the United Nations Mission in Liberia #UNMIL like most of those officers he is about to lead, we can only be hopeful that the welfare of the men and women of the Liberia National Police will not be compromised under his administration.
As founder and executive director, Citizen Bureau for Development and Productivity who earned the “Distinguished Leadership Award”, Liberia National Police, under the supervision of #UNMIL, it becomes our heartfelt appreciation to see such change in the institution and pledge the Citizen Bureau support not in taken side but such that advocate the logistical, financial, regular supplies of uniforms with visible identification batches once uniformed as a police officer at all times, amongst other things; while at the same time ringing the bell for accountable actions to guarantee professional conduct for democratic policing which placed emphasize on accountability, responsiveness and representation so as to enhance public trust in that institution and by extension the Government of Liberia headed by His Excellency President George Weah.
In my role as founder and executive director Citizen Bureau for Development and Productivity/Liberia National Police, the Citizen Bureau for Development and Productivity looks forward to the newly appointed Director cooperation as our long time desire to collaborate with the Liberia National Police by so doing will be realized in as much we can make a direct contact with the director to understand our position so that together we can achieve Police-Citizen Unity.
With heart full of appreciation for the new appointment we look forward to meet with the Police chief to put forth our plan of action for his perusal.
*About the Citizen Bureau
The citizen Bureau for Development and Productivity is a non-governmental organization which acquired it roots from the restructuring and reform in the New Liberia National police; The Bureau advocates good citizenship and works with communities to ensure that certain cases are resolved through negotiation. It has as its Mission, “to eradicate poverty, promote police citizen relation and mediation”
Achievements
Since 2013 through Community Justice Initiative the Citizen Bureau for Development and Productivity collaborated with partners and established two community Justice Teams in West-Point and Logan Town in Monrovia, with the prospects to expand in the outlying counties. The intervention had saved citizen using our justice tools, in total thousand of United States dollars which otherwise would have been paid toward legal administrative costs going through the formal justice system.
Challenges:
Lack of financial and logistical empowerment; Lack of prosecutorial powers or inability to administer punishment to offenders, others may choose not the citizen Bureau’s community Justice Initiative simply to see offenders languishing behind bars in police cell or prison even without procedural due processes. Lack of capacity to transform unskilled and recalcitrant offenders (eg, through wood work shop, or agricultural farms) to acquired skills that are crucial to their livelihood and sustainability so as to enhance productive citizenship.
Recommendation for improvement:
Financial and logistical support will enhance efficiency and effectiveness thereby resolving more conflicts peacefully amongst residence (established wood work shop, agricultural farms) and to leverage outreach through local vernacular, town crier, electronic, social and print media so that people understand the importance of resolving conflict peacefully without resulting to violence while promoting police citizen cooperation, as the surest way to achieve policing goals.
As an alternative to detention the formal justice or court may empower the Citizen Bureau…, with prosecutorial powers, such that, offenders of certain crimes are sentenced to visible hard work, and with the prospects to acquired skills that are crucial to their livelihood and sustainability.
# Obamafoundationsummit "Act don't just talk about change"
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