Lantern Rescue International, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) Family Support Unit (FSU), has commenced a specialized training programme for 40 FSU personnel to strengthen their capacity to investigate sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), child trafficking and related offences.
The training, being held at the Sierra Leone Peacekeeping and Law Enforcement Academy (SILEA), Hastings Campus, is focused on enhancing investigators’ skills while promoting professional standards and international best practices in handling cases involving vulnerable persons.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Head of the FSU, Detective Superintendent of Police Mohamed Mansaray, reaffirmed the Unit’s commitment to strengthening its capacity to effectively combat SGBV.
He said tackling SGBV required a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach, noting that the police could not address the problem alone.
“The fight against sexual and gender-based violence is truly multi-sectoral. It is not only the responsibility of the Sierra Leone Police; we need other organizations and partners to support our efforts,” he said.
Detective Superintendent Mansaray explained that Lantern Rescue specifically designed and sponsored the training to address some of the key challenges faced by FSU investigators, particularly in investigating child trafficking and other SGBV-related offences.
He thanked Lantern Rescue for supporting the training of 40 FSU personnel from the Western Area and expressed hope that similar capacity-building programmes would be extended to FSU personnel at regional headquarters across the country.
West Africa Programme Manager of Lantern Rescue, Vivian Hartlief, thanked the Sierra Leone Police and the FSU for their collaboration and for hosting the training.
She outlined Lantern Rescue’s work across Africa, noting that the organisation operates in 12 African countries and supports locally mandated law-enforcement agencies in various areas.
Hartlief explained that the organisation’s areas of focus differ according to the needs of each country. In Nigeria, for instance, Lantern Rescue places greater emphasis on cross-border human trafficking, while in Ghana, its work focuses more on Family Support Unit cases, SGBV and related offences.
Also speaking, Commandant of SILEA, ACP Brima Kamara, welcomed the facilitators and participants and encouraged the officers to take the specialized training seriously.
ACP Kamara stressed the importance of continuous professional development, noting that capacity building remained a key priority of Inspector-General of Police William Fayia Sellu.
He said effective policing depended largely on the knowledge, skills and professional capacity of officers, adding that continuous training provided personnel with opportunities to improve their performance and deliver better services to the public.
He urged the participants to apply the knowledge and skills gained during the training in their respective workplaces.
“When you are done, we expect that when you return to your workplace, you must be able to take the skills and knowledge you have acquired here and put them into practice,” he said.
ACP Kamara subsequently declared the training officially open.
The training is expected to strengthen the investigative capacity of FSU personnel and enhance collaboration between the Sierra Leone Police and international partners in addressing SGBV, child trafficking and other offences affecting vulnerable persons.