July 2, 2021
By Aruna Kamara (Bo)
The Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police, Dr. Michael Sovula has urged the Community Safety Volunteers (CSV) to be professional in the discharge of their duties while helping the police to provide adequate Security in Port Loko District. A-Z Newspaper has reliably learnt the formation of CSV came as result of the regular complaints from the business community of rampant criminal activities in Port Loko district.
Responding to question about the state of security in Port Loko District, IGP Dr. Sovula said the CSVs will help the police in diverse ways, among which are: passing relevant information to the police about criminality that has the possibility to undermine state security; aid the police to effect arrest of any criminal in their communities.
IGP quote that section 11(1) of the Criminal Procedure Act 1965 gives power to a private person to effect an arrest of a person that is committing an offence in his presence and hand over him to the police, adding that where the Community Safety volunteers witness such happening they should intervene and inform the police.
He said that the numerical strength of the Police is small and with the support and cooperation of the CVS, moving with the police in their communities is a clear manifestation of community policing that will discourage the criminals from undertaking their devilish acts.
Dr. Sovula said it is the duty of the Police to provide the Community Safety Volunteers with guidelines or training around human rights principles; and that can help them police in their communities.
However, he said the CSVs have been doing well and it was the people of Lunsar who requested my presence to commission the Community Safety Volunteers and to give them the necessary documents to aid them in their work status.
He said that the police leadership recognized them under Med Kay the chairman of the Local Police Partnership Board (LPPB) in Port Loko district, pointing out that the Community Safety Volunteers was born out of the LPPB with the Local Unit Commander who is a civilian, with backing of the Police Local Unit Commander, Murana Kamara.
“I have discussed with the Community Safety Volunteers to be professional in the discharge of their duties, and to continue maintaining their respect by doing within the community,” Dr. Sovula cautioned.