The Challenges and Opportunities of Security Sector Reform in Post ...

large number of former policemen who served under Taylor's disgraced
government. 71
In defence of CivPol however, other sources affirm that the recruitment process has
been thorough in investigating the background of recruits. According to the International
Crisis Group, recruits are vetted several times to ensure they are not war criminals. 72 The
report also observed, as part of this process, the names of recruits are also published in
Monrovian newspapers, with requests for citizens to come forward with information on
anyone who committed crimes during the wars. The report further notes that ‘as part of
efforts to verify that LNP recruits do not have criminal records, UNMIL has established
an “integrity bank”, which compiles background information on candidates for use in
screening by the Liberian National Law Enforcement Association. 73
There is also danger of a parallel composition within the present structure of the Liberian
Police. Disgruntled Senior Police Officers have written a dissenting document against
UN CivPol for being sidelined. 74 Perhaps most alarming are reports of continuing police
brutality among officers of both the old LNP and the new CivPol created force. 75 A
newspaper editorial found it necessary to be blunt on this concern:
Without mincing words, and for good reasons, the public is beginning to dislike
what it sees in the new police cubs. What it sees is smoke emanating from the fire
of friction. And invariably the opinion being formed (is) that our little angels
(recruits) are catching the virus of maverick policing so early…They are seemingly
relying more on brute force than on the persuasive power of the law. 76
What is beyond doubt is that the situation has improved somewhat, and erring police
officers can no longer assume impunity. 77 Though serious as the problems of policing
are, they cannot be seen in isolation of the criminal justice system since the police are
only an implementing agent of the criminal justice system. 78
3.3. Judiciary: Don’t Blame it on the war!
The role of justice and the rule of law in security and sustainable development can hardly
be over-emphasised. Bringing an end to impunity and infusing the notion of equality
71 Reuters, op. cit.
72 International Crisis Group Report No. 87, op. cit., p. 17.
73 Ibid. The LINLEA is a civil society organisation, headed by Cecil Griffiths.
74 B. J. Samukai, Jr, 'Military And Security Reforms In Post-War Liberia’, presented at the ‘All Liberian National
Conference', Columbia, Maryland, USA, 15 April 2005, Available at www.uniboa.org/samukai.html
75 See for example, The Analyst, ‘Police Brutality Again!: Student Leaders, School Administrator Flogged’, 24 June
2005. Available at www.analystnewspaper.com/police_brutality_again.htm. See also, The Analyst, Editorial,
‘Monitor Police Trainees Fussily’; Available at
www.analystnewspaper.com/editorial_monitor_police_trainees_fussily.htm
76 The Analyst (Editorial), ibid.
77
In October 2005, the Ministry of Justice suspended a police officer, Major James Yarmah, without pay for one
month for assaulting a reporter of The Analyst Newspaper, Mr. Nathaniel Daygbor. See The Analyst, 5 October
2005.
78
J. Kayode Fayemi, ‘Governing Insecurity in Post-Conflict States: The case of Sierra Leone and Liberia’, in Alan
Bryden and Heiner Hänggi (eds.), Reform of Reconstruction of the Security Sector, LIT Verlag, Münster, 2004, p.
195.
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