By: Audrey Raymonda John
A retrospective view of the first hundred (100) days of Mr. William Fayia Sellu as the Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police (IG-SLP) has revealed achievements that would serve as History in the organization.
One key managerial principle requires checks and balances to determine whether or not people placed in positions of trust are fit for purpose and to also keep an organization or institution.
In a vox pop, this writer sought the views and opinions of some members of the public and the rank and file of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), on the successes or achievements of Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. William Fayia Sellu first one hundred days in office.
Key indicators looked at included: welfare, discipline, capacity building, public relations, digital transformation and law enforcement.
WELFARE AND SOCIALISATION: Prior to his appointment as the Inspector General of Police, the Force was facing a challenge of backlog rice supply to personnel. Two weeks in office, he made sure that all officers received their six months backlog rice ration.
He has maintained the benefits, allowances and entitlement that are due to personnel.
He has revived the annual police week celebrations that seek to bring together all personnel from across the six police regions in the country, to socialize outside their official duties – a move that breaks the barrier of unity among personnel.
CAPACITY BUILDING:
During their maiden courtesy and acquaintance visits, IGP Sellu pleas and requests to donor and International Community were to help the SLP with training.
Today, with support from the US Embassy and other partners, several crash courses including training of trainers on electoral security management has been completed with more underway.
Between 27 October to 8 November 2022, the SLP conducted CID refresher training for 240 investigators across the regions. This training was fully funded by the SLP
Between the 8 and 9 November 2022, induction training was conducted by Integrated Intelligent Services (IIS) for personnel.
With support from the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society (SLRCS), the force conducted training on International Humanitarian Law for 200 personnel in the Western Area and the North.
The EU Delegation also funded a three-days training on EU Practices on Countering Disinformation whilst promoting Human Rights.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: Coming from the Crime Directorate with vast knowledge in technology, IGP Sellu is transforming the SLP digitally.
Few days in office as IGP he made sure that all offices at Police Headquarters have Intercom to ease communication.
During his first hundred days also, all operational vehicles in the Western Area have been installed with the Global Positioning System (GPS) to increase community access to police services and to ensure effective and efficient use of the vehicles.
DISCIPLINE: In his strides to not only revamp the SLP but instill discipline to regain public trust and confidence, IGP Sellu has embarked on a massive and robust reformation of the Force for Good.
It’s now well-known among the rank and file of the SLP that, conducts of officers outside the force’s modus operandi these days are met with stringent punitive and disciplinary measures that would deter repetition by others.
This has seen some personnel found wanting of illegal drugs possession dismissed.
He however vowed to lay his life in the pursuit of law against any civilian that assault and molest Police Officers.
GETTING MOBILE NETWORK OPERATORS TO COOPERATE WITH THE SLP:
What could be IGP Sellu’s biggest achievement in his first one hundred days in office is winning the decades battle between Mobile Network Operators, especially Orange SL Ltd and the SLP on providing information on numbers of sim cards that are used to commit fraudulent activities and therefore placed under investigations.
The battle to get Mobile Network Operators to cooperate with the SLP on call logs was fought by all IGPs since 2009 but was never achieved to a point that we saw the Operators engaging the SLP in a press war over claims and counter-claims of customer’s privacy.
Today, IGP Sellu has succeeded in getting the mobile operators succumb to Police desires in providing information needed on sim cards that are under investigations.