The Liberia National Police (LNP) Inspector General, Patrick T. Sudue, has urged newly-graduated police officers from the Police Academy to exhibit neutrality in exercising their duty.
According to him, the LNP is serving the Liberian people and not any individual or political party, stressing that any officer who will behave unprofessional will be dismissed because the LNP is only loyalty to the Liberian people.
The Police Chief made these remarks when 673 new officers were graduated from the Liberia National Police Academy and Training School in Monrovia over the weekend.
“As you are going out there, people will be campaigning, and you have to stand up tall and ensure that you do the right thing. If you do what is right trust me, I will protect, but if you do wrong, I will not protect you. As you go out, let me let you know that your action will be under scrutiny. Speak as a professional police officers. When you go out there, you should exercise your function as trained officers,” the IG cautioned.
He then reminded the new officers that the police is a professional body and not a subjective institution, noting that if any officer thinks that he or she joined the police to avenge or to be unlawful, then that officer has chosen a wrong path because every action will be under scrutinized and evaluated.
The Police Chief added that Liberia needs a trained and professional police force that will stand for the truth and that will care for their citizens and country, intimating that the Liberian people want police officers who will run to save any citizen when needing rescue.
As the country goes to elections less than two months, he admonished the new officers to enforce the law and be impartial in the exercise of their function because the people of Liberia depend on them to protect the country’s hard-earned peace.
Sudue also warned Class 45 of the LNP to not participate in political rallies and should not put on any political regalia because the police are for all people and should not side with any political institution, stressing that if anyone is seen violating by participating and wearing political t-shirts, the authority will take appropriate actions against that officer.
“The Liberian people are our common denominator, the Liberian people are the ones we are serving, and they are the ones we owe our loyalty to. Our loyalty is not to political parties and individuals,” the LNP Inspector General explained.
“When anybody,” he said, “plays down your professional ethics, then that person is not a patriot because your works are overloaded and you work 365 days without resting because a day of rest will put the country at risk..
“I recall under former President (Charles) Taylor, the police had a lot of problems and those problems were not addressed after series of engagements with him. Do you know what happened? The Police Director then called all police officers on base till their plights are addressed.
“It was to call the attention of the government. That day people started to loot and vandalize, and taxi drivers were rushing home to park their cars. Lawlessness was taking place all over. When the President met the police head and when those problems were addressed, the police went back to their posts and people started to do their normal businesses. This is how important you are to society,” he said.
The Inspection General then called on Liberian people to respect and motivate the police, adding that police are protectors of lives and property and deserve to be honored and regarded because their absence can cause tensions and chaos in any society.
Source: LINA
Comments are closed.