The IPCB will ensure that the Police serves the country well, and build citizen’s trust in the Police.ยฉ UNDP Sierra Leone
The President of Sierra Leone Ernest Bai Koroma has said that the launch of Sierra Leoneโs Independent Police Complaints Board (IPCB) will โEnsure greater accountability of the police to the people of Sierra Leoneโ at the Miatta Conference hall in Freetown on Tuesday.
The President made these comments when launching the Complaints Board in the presence of young secondary school girls, several senior ministers, the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, diplomats and civil society members.ย President Koroma noted that with the new institution available to investigate complaints against the police โCitizens now have access to a prompt and transparent process in handling and investigating complaints against the police.โ
President Koroma added that the launch of the IPCB demonstrates Sierra Leoneโs readiness to improve on its democracy and accountability mechanisms as well as shows marked improvement in the governance of the Sierra Leone Police. He added that โBuilding civilian oversight mechanisms, promoting accountability and sustaining peace are central pillars of our actionsโฆour launch of this Independent Police Complaints Board is a central component of this action on accountability.โ
With funding from the Peace Building Fund and technical support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Access to Security and Justice Programme (ASJP), the IPCB will complement the Policeโs own internal investigation unit โ the Complaints, Discipline and Internal Investigations Department (CDIID) – that exists within the Sierra Leone Police force. The IPCB is led by strong professionals with previous experience from other agencies like the Anti-Corruption Commission.
The IPCB will not only investigate allegations of abuse of police brutality but will also track complaints over time to establish any trends or pattern of abuse by police (including in specific regions or districts) in order for more detailed investigation of those trends for more structural response to addressing these complaints from citizens. This will allow for addressing systemic challenges afflicting the Sierra Leone Police force.
UNDP Country Director in Sierra Leone, Sudipto Mukerjee said UNDPโs single most important motivation for supporting this initiative is in line with the statement of the previous UN Secretary General that โThere is no development without security and there is no security without development.โ
Mr. Mukerjee further called for more improvements beyond procedural and policy change, but also โbehaviour and attitudes, rooted in best practice and principles of democratic policing, which in turn will increase trust and confidence from communities.โ He expressed UNDPโs support of the governmentโs vision of transforming the police โFrom a Police Force to a Police Service.โ
Mr. Mukerjee also commended the Sierra Leone Police leadership for their cooperation adding that the Sierra Leone Police have โfully embraced the principle of independent oversight and accountability and provided advice and support when required towards establishing the IPCB.โ
Speaking after the event, civil society activist and Executive Director of Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL), Mr. Ibrahim Tommy, noted that the launch of the IPCB is a โmajor step forward towards a fairer and more accountable police force as well as a more independent investigation mechanism that will enhance trust both from members of the public and police officers themselves.โ
UNDPโs support to the IPCB came out of a joint initiative between UNDP and the UN Peacebuilding mission to Sierra Leone, UNIPSIL โ which closed in March 2014 and the initiative was tailored to ensure ongoing support for the governmentโs safety and security reform agenda for an effective independent policing oversight body in line with the governmentsโ commitments made in the Agenda for Change in 2008-2012.
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UNDP Communications Unit, 55 Wilkinson Road, Freetown. Email: [email protected]
