New police force for Liberia
2004-05-05 20:05
Monrovia - The United Nations Mission in Liberia launched a campaign on Wednesday to recruit a new police force.
The force will number about 3 500 and will be recruited at the rate of 125 per month over the next two years, Unmil police commissioner Mark Kroeker said in Monrovia.
Kroeker said applicants should be aged between 18 and 35 years with at least a high school education and without a criminal record.
The new force will change its name from the Liberia National Police to the Liberian Police Service.
Kroeker vowed that the recruitment process would be "transparent, impartial and quality based".
Speaking at the launch ceremony, transitional chairperson Charles Gyude Bryant observed that the process of recruiting personnel into a new police service has "become necessary because of the abuses, insults, harassment, intimidation and humiliation our police has brought on our people".
"We hope all of you who are going to apply to become police will remember why this new process has been brought into being," Bryant said adding, "the new recruits must earn the respect of the people by respecting their basic civil liberties".
In apparent response to an appeal by acting police director Joseph Kerkula who requested housing, increased salaries and other incentives for the police, Bryant said, "the more you give the more you will receive". - Sapa-dpa
- SAPA