Over 56 police officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) have been suspended for periods ranging from one week to four months.

A LNP press release issued Thursday said, the administrative action was taken against the officers due to their failure to report to work, as well as assault against some peaceful citizens in Monrovia.

The press release indicated that two of the police officers were suspended for time indefinite for assaulting some peaceful citizens in Grand Bassa County, while four other officers were also suspended for one week each.

It also specified that 46 of the officers were suspended for two weeks each and three others for the period of four months. Accordingly, the LNP has warned all of its officers to desist from such practices of not reporting to work or would face similar administrative action.

139 ERU Police Graduates
By Sallu Swaray

In an attempt to weed out the high waves of criminality in Monrovia and its environs, the Liberia National Police will graduate 139 personnel of its newly-formed Emergency Response Unit (ERU) at the Police Academy in Paynesville City, near Monrovia.

The ERU will deal specifically with crime situations which may require the use of fire-arms and to arrest armed criminals who are involved in hostage-taking, violent crimes and other acts of terrorism in and around the country.

The ERU will also be charged with the responsibility of dealing with riot control and provide assistance in major disaster situations.

The training of the ERU has been spearheaded by the United States of America, in collaboration with the Government of Liberia. Graduation of the 139 ERU personnel is the first in a series, having commenced early this year, with more to be trained in augmenting its strength.

28 AFL Soldiers Commissioned

October 3, 2008, was set aside by the Ministry of National Defense to commission 28 of its trained and professional soldiers of the over 2000 men and women of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL),

According to a Defense Ministry press release, the 28 officer candidates will be commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant and the ceremony is expected to be held at the Barclay Training Center (BTC) in Monrovia.

The 28 officer candidates include two female and 26 male, the press release indicated, noting that all of the would-be Second Lieutenant are college graduates who completed the Officer Candidate School.

“They were recommended to the Liberian Senate for commissioning by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the AFL and subsequently confirmed”, it further pointed out.

Commissioning is a military tradition whereby an officer candidate is decorated with a new rank and subsequently issued a parchment or citation signed by the President and Commander-in –Chief of the AFL.

The Defense Ministry press release pointed out that commissioning of the officer candidates brings to 73 the number of officers who have been trained and commissioned in the restructured AFL, under the Security Sector Reform Program.

Meanwhile, the Minister of National Defense, Brownie J. Samukai Jr., has reiterated Liberia’s key foreign policy statement that not an inch of the Liberian soil will be used to destabilize its neighbors.

Minister Samukai made the statement when the Ivorian Military Attaché, Col. N’goran Aka, paid him a courtesy call on Tuesday at his Benson Street office. The Military Attaché was accompanied to the Defense Ministry by the Ivorian Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Madam Elizabeth Toure.

According to the MOD, the Ivorian colonel holds an undergraduate degree in English Language and Communication and services. He also received his graduate and post graduate degrees in Communication Techniques, Science, Military History and Defense Studies.

Prior to his appointment as Military Attaché’ to the Ivorian Embassy in Liberia, he served as head of the Communication service of the Ivorian Army.