Addressing the Executive Management Board (EMB) of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), Dr. Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, Chairman and Information Commissioner of the Right to Access information Commission (RAIC), revealed that providing timely information for public consumption can help build public trust and confidence.
He made this statement in a meeting he held with the EMB on Wednesday September 7, 2022, at Police Headquarters, George Street, in Freetown.
While dilating on the assertion, he reminded the SLP about the silver medal the institution won in 2019, which, he said, was the Commission’s Proactive Disclosure Award for complying with the Right to Access Information Act 2013; adding, that he would want to see the SLP win more of such awards now and in the future.
“Although the Act prohibits the release of exempted or classified information, including those that have security implications, I urge the SLP to increase their compliance with the Right to Access Information Act 2013, for information that does not fall under that category”. Dr. Shaw affirmed.
The Inspector General of Police, Mr. William Fayia Sellu, commended Dr. Shaw for making such a move and promised to be more compliant in the release of information to the public.
Mr. Saidu B. Jalloh (AIG) in charge of Infrastructure in the SLP, also made similar sentiments and added that the SLP recently trained Information Officers and deployed them in all Police jurisdictions across the country. This, he said, was a show of compliance to upgrade the flow of information to the Public.
Other Senior Police Officers who were present, including those in the provinces who were contacted via zoom, commended the move and promised to increase compliance in their various areas of responsibility.
