Running Africa

Col. munah Sieh, Chief Liberia National Police

Community policing requires that not only we fight corruption within the ranks and files, but we introduce systems, methods and procedures that will prevent and or deter police corruption.
Example: Let an X number of officers be fired for corrupt acts or acts of police brutality that were captured by the department's hidden camera. Such exercise ultimately informs the public that bad cops are being kicked out of the force, while at the same time making police officers aware that their conduct could be captured by hidden cameras

Community policing requires and obligates the police to launch crime prevention awareness campaigns and programs that will be more acceptable and convenient to the community people. They generally resent programs that will cut their life-styles into half. The police again, through its relationship with the media, can make some headways here. That's why relationship with that group of the community (The Media) is crucial. Their relationship should usually be cemented by a successful Police Media relations workshop followed by strong but acceptable guidelines in achieving their respective goals.

Days after Col. Munah Sieh was appointed Chief of police by president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, I made a phone call to congratulate her and offered my expertise and other resources in the area of Community and Media Relations. It was, and still is free of charge because I feel it an obligation to the police, which co-sponsored my training in Police-Media Relations at Atlanta University in the late 80s. I did not get to adequately give back to the department when the civil war broke. I am sure Col. Sieh did not view my gesture as a job seeking attempt.

But it is now left with Col Munah Sieh and the police force to confront the challenges brought forth by a young democracy, and a country and its people that have had even more than 15 years of political, economic and social disorder.

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Although public corporations have been a part of our national life, they remain basically unproductive and obscure in the general policy approach toward national development, a status they no doubt find convenient. While toiling in obscurity, they manage communication, power generation, airport and seaport, petroleum, agriculture, housing and insurance. Public Corporations remain an important partner in reconstituting Liberia’s economy and in many ways the bedrock for economic stimulus. I am confident that Six Sigma can play an important role of reducing variations and defects in various processes and improve operational excellence at all levels.

Posted August 20, 2006

By Gabriel Gworlekaju

When I heard that Liberia's first female police chief was under fire for making a potentially divisive public statement, I was not as shocked and surprised as many because immediately after her appointment was announced, I knew that Col. Sieh, as good of a police operative as she is, will have a difficult time with issues of public affairs. Immediately on the onset, I knew the most difficult job for her would be to deal with questions and issues that will affect public sentiments and emotions.

My feelings derived from the fact that I had some insight on her weaknesses and strength. How? She has never in the past shown herself as a figure that will stand in representation of her department's image and integrity, or tried to pretend there is one. I knew and occasionally met Col. Sieh in the pre-war era. But my first real professional contact with her was in the early 90s when she one time showed up as an in-service trainee at Liberia's Police Training Academy. I happened to have been one of her instructors. That relationship gave me a little more chance to know Col. Munah Sieh.

It is because I know the post-war police chief and her background, that I told many individuals who had called me in the early days of her appointment, she was capable for the job except that I was a little worried how she would deal with Police-Public relations. Thus, bringing us to the question of restoring public trust in Liberia's police force.

It might appear to Col. Sieh and other old cronies of the department that fighting corruption from within the force will stand as a key factor in regaining public trust and confidence. But the veterans and professionals, including Sieh's principal deputy who himself served as instructor at the police academy will agree that the key, if not the most important bar-wire of public's confidence in the police is direct, non-political, ethical and professional community policing.

This kind of policing requires a department, its officials and personnel to be more community oriented in their day to day contacts with the public. That means formulating guidelines, creating outreach programs and taking crime prevention initiatives. The department should not be putting itself in a defensive posture when faced with the challenges of community policing. That's why it must work with each and every group that makes up the structure of the community

This really sounds like a Herculean task for the police force and its chief. But yes, it is.

Community policing requires that the chief hires a Public Information Officer who is professionally and specifically trained to deal with issues in the media.. The goal here is to show the public that the department is an opened one, while at the same time, tactically addressing issues that could spark public sentiments and emotions as in the case of the veil controversy which consumed chief Sieh recently. The chief should therefore refrain from giving impromptu press interviews and releases. It is from such sporadic events, the wrong things are said; and they are the wrong things that often matter..