Sierra Leone Police

Infobox Police
name= Sierra Leone Police
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country= Sierra Leone
type= National Police
start= 1894
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title= Inspector General of Police
head= Brima Acha Kamara
HQ= Freetown, Sierra Leone
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The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is the national police force of the Republic of Sierra Leone. The key mission of the Sierra Leone Police include to prevent crime, to protect life and property, To detect and prosecute offenders, To maintain public order, To ensure safety and security, To enhance access to justice and to ensure police primacy for internal security and safety. The Sierra Leone Police is headed by the Inspector General of Police, currently Brima Acha Kamara who is appointed by the president of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone Police was established by the British colony back in 1894 and is one of the oldest police forces in West Africa.

Divisions

The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is headed by The Inspector General of Police, The professional head of the Sierra Leone Police forces who is appointed by the president of Sierra Leone.Each one of Sierra Leone's fourteen districts is headed by a District Police commissioner who is the professional head of the district they are located and is appointed by the Inspector General of Police. Each one of the police stations in the cities and towns is headed by a Police Commander with a rank of Assistant Commissioner, who is appointed by the District Police commissioner of the district they are based. The local police officers report to the Assistant Commissioner of the police station they are based, the Assistant Commissioner then report to the District Police Commissioner of the district they are located. The Police Commissioner from each of the districts who in turn report to the Inspector General of Police.

The Inspector General of Police, currently Brima Acha Kamara (IGP) assisted by a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). He was appointed to the position by former president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. At the national command level, are six Assistant Inspector Generals of Police (AIG) with responsibility for Personnel, Training and Welfare; Operations; Crime Services; Support Services; Professional Standards; and the Operational Support Division (OSD), (the armed wing of the SLP). Regional commanders known as Regpols who are also AIGs carry regional responsibilities for the Western, Northern, Southern and Eastern regions. All of these AIGs assist the IGP and the DIG in the running of the day-to-day affairs of the SLP. This is done through a joined up leadership approach practicalised into an Executive Management and Change Board, the highest policy making body in the organisation which meets once every week under the chairmanship of the IGP.

Headquarters

The national headquarters of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is in the capital Freetown. There are regional headquarters in the three provincial cities of Bo in the South Province, Kenema in the East Province and Makeni in the North Province.

History

The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) was established following the founding of the Colony of Freetown in 1808 as a settlement for freed slaves. Police authority then was only restricted to the Colony of Freetown. By 1889 colonial authority had been extended to the provinces. Police authority was also extended to these areas and performed largely paramilitary duties as opposed to the civil police back in the colony. The force at this point became known as the West African Frontier Force.

A Royal Gazette of October 1894 established the Sierra Leone Police Force. Following independence in April 1961, the Sierra Leone Parliament passed the Police Act of 1964 to consolidate and amend the law relating to the organisation, discipline, powers and duties of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP).

External links

*http://www.daco-sl.org/encyclopedia/1_gov/1_6slp.htm