Former Inspector-General
Liberian National Police
Focus Area(s):
Accountable Policing
Critical Tasks:
Recruitment
Interviewers:
Arthur Boutellis
Country of Reform:
Liberia
Town/City:
Monrovia
Country:
Liberia
Date of Interview:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Abstract
Joseph Kekula, former inspector-general of the Liberian National Police, talks about the police reforms in Liberia that the United Nations Police undertook under the 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. He discusses the process of rank restructuring and its contribution in demilitarizing the police. He points out the role of the Change Management Committee that combined local and U.N. police in developing guidelines for recruitment, vetting and other procedures. In their efforts to professionalize the police, Kekula describes the challenges they encountered, including inadequate human resource capacity, lack of operational equipment and materials, and poor public relations. As part of the solutions, he explains how Community Policing Forums changed the police’s image and boosted public confidence. He also discusses the government’s agreement to raise police salaries in a bid to increase manpower and the need for a population census to determine the number of police required in the country.
Full Transcript
Full Interview:
73MB
Joseph Kekula Interview
Profile:
At the time of this interview, Joseph Kekula was the former inspector-general of the Liberian National Police. He specialized in VIP protection and worked in the presidential mansion. He came up through the ranks to become a colonel. During the transitional government from 2003 to 2005, Kekula served as a deputy director for police administration.
Language:
English
Nationality of Interviewee:
Liberian
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Joseph Kekula
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Keywords
incentive systems
Donor Relations
depoliticization
community policing
internal management
rank restructuring
media relations
integration and amalgamation
demilitarization
training curriculum
local police training
recruitment
vetting