SIERRA LEONE POLICE SIGNS CONTRACT FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY SLP Communications Unit The Sierra Leone Police has signed a contract with a team of academics to provide curriculum development and course work planning for the proposed Sierra Leone Law Enforcement Academy. The team headed by Professor Ekundayo Thompson and Professor Sahr Thomas Gbamanja come to this assignment with a wealth of experience in education in Sierra Leone and other parts of Africa. During the signing ceremony, Inspector General of Police Francis A. Munu confirmed that this is a significant milestone in the development of the Sierra Leone Police and for the law enforcement community in general. He contends that the establishment of a law enforcement academy will contribute greatly to scholarship in policing within Sierra Leone and the sub-region. He accepts that many other countries already have police academies in their own territories but the foundations of this institution in Sierra Leone will significantly help to shape the skills and knowledge of law enforcement personnel because the curriculum will cater for other agencies that have law enforcement as part of their core functions. The IGP was adamant that this academy will build better men and women of character and discipline that will be integral to the support of democracy in Sierra Leone by ensuring that the rule of law flourishes and the right atmosphere for development to take place is created. He went on to refer to contemporary development thinking that peace and security are integral to creating the conducive environment for development to take place more especially as a result of the intrinsic linkage between security and development. It is for these reasons that the SLP has to lay a foundation for underpinning the democracy of the state through effective and efficient policing strategies, training and up-skilling of police personnel. The IGP commented on the fact that the contracts for architects and pre-feasibility construction works have been signed and executed and that those professionals are now engaged on their assignments. The signing of these contracts for Academic Staff to commence curriculum development is tangential to the smooth functioning and commissioning of the Police Academy next October. Commenting on the occasion, Professor Ekundayo Thompson, lead consultant, confirms that the signing of contracts mark the commencement of the assignment which will contribute to improving the landscape of tertiary education in the country. He told the IGP that the Sierra Leone Police have chosen a team with a wealth of experience from the Gbamanja Commission, the Teaching Commission and the Ernest Bai Koroma University in Makeni. Their work and experience in developing curricula will be invaluable to the development of the Police Academy’s course development. He affirms that they would look to the University of Sierra Leone as a credible institution to lend support to their assignment and as a source for training higher level staff for the Academy. Professor Gbamanja, currently Vice Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone and former Chair of the Gbamanja Commission and whose work proposed significant changes to Sierra Leone’s educational system witnessed the signing ceremony on behalf of the Consultants whilst the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Richard Moigbe witnessed the contracts on behalf of the Sierra Leone Police Executive Management Board.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 16:20:11 +0000