Towards the end of 2022, the Sierra Leone Police benefited a lot from capacity building and intensive trainings, geared toward the electioneering process and professional policing.
Key of these trainings included: Cyber, Investigations, and Electoral Security Management.
The European Union (EU) was notably one key partner that sponsored the Cyber Training last year for Intelligence Officers across the sister forces in Sierra Leone.
Against this backdrop, the Head of delegation of the EU – Manuel Alexander Muller on Wednesday 25th January, 2022, made a courtesy visit to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. William Fayia Sellu, at his George Street office in Freetown. Speaking on behalf of the EU in Sierra Leone, he commended the IGP and the Police organisation for the successful implementation of the trainings delivered so far.
Other key issues discussed included:
👉 The June 24 Multi-tier Elections.
👉. Elections Specific Manual developed by the SLP.
Police Recruitment and Passing-out Phases.
👉 Peaceful Protests/ Demonstrations
👉 Proposed EU Plans for the SLP.
👉 Cyber Capacity and Tracking of Cyber Perpetrators.
Responding, the IGP briefed the Ambassador on wide range of ongoing policing activities and operations and those already concluded. Mr. Sellu further dilated on the Community Relations’ Department engagement and sensitisation drives undertaken at community levels including schools, with key messages on non-violence, drug abuse and peaceful coexistence.
The IGP proudly acknowledged with confidence that since the August 10 insurrection, there had been no major incident in Sierra Leone; adding, that the festive season was adequately policed throughout the length and breadth of this country. He assured that the multi-tier elections in June shall surely be peaceful – an assurance which is informed by feedback received from a nationwide assessment conducted by the security sector, together with the Office Of National Security (ONS).
The EU Ambassador was accompanied by Mario Torre Alvarez, the EU Regional Security Officer, who similarly expressed optimism about the peacefulness of the elections.
