By Stephen V. Lansana
On Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the Sierra Leone Police made a striking budget proposal during the Bilateral Budget Discussions in Freetown, requesting a total of Le 635,418,000 for the Financial Year 2025. The budget, presented by Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Allieu Turay, Head of Procurement, is composed of a recurrent expenditure ceiling of Le 378,720.4 million and an excess amount of Le 256,697.6 million.
The Bilateral Budget Discussions, organized by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), have been ongoing since August 19th and will conclude on August 30th, 2024. The event, held at the MoF Conference Room in Freetown, brought together key stakeholders, including MoPED, MoF, District Budget Oversight Committees, Non-State Actors, and members of the media.
CSP Turay outlined the police force’s key priorities for 2025, which include the acquisition of 13 specialized vehicles and 50 vehicle clamps, rehabilitation of the police headquarters, procurement of 25 trucks, recruitment of 1,000 new police officers, and the completion of the Ross Road police division building. These initiatives are seen as essential to enhancing the police’s capacity to maintain law and order across the country.
In terms of revenue generation for FY2025, the police project a modest income of Le 2,943,755, primarily sourced from Arm Guards (Le 2,329,605), Police Clearance (Le 441,650), the Police Band (Le 152,000), and Towing vehicles (Le 20,500).
Reflecting on the progress made in 2024, CSP Turay noted significant achievements, such as the payment of 90% towards the nationwide overhaul of the Sierra Leone police communication network, with installation well underway. Additionally, the construction of the Aberdeen divisional police headquarters is 70% complete, with full completion anticipated by year-end. The police have also finalized the procurement and delivery of 35 patrol vehicles, while conducting 27,360 patrols and 150 intelligence-led ambushes across the country.
Other notable accomplishments include the successful arrests and transfers of suspects involved in serious offenses to neighboring countries such as Guinea and Ivory Coast. The police headquarters now boasts a command centre equipped with a GPS vehicle tracking system, enabling better response to emergencies through toll-free lines on Orange, QCell, and Africell networks. Community outreach has also been a focus, with 252 initiatives completed and 45 officers trained in the WARPIS Criminal Case application.
Despite these achievements, CSP Turay highlighted several ongoing challenges facing the police force. These include a growing personnel gap due to attrition, increased demand for policing services in new communities, and contemporary security issues. The force also faces budgetary shortfalls and delays in the disbursement of funds, alongside inadequate barracks accommodation for personnel, with many quarters in urgent need of repair. Additionally, there is a pressing need for improved technical and scientific support in forensic science.
Responding to concerns about the role of checkpoints in generating revenue, CSP Brima Kamara, Head of Police Media and Public Relations, clarified that checkpoints are not intended as revenue sources. Instead, they serve to provide essential security services at various locations across the country.
As the Bilateral Budget Discussions draw to a close, it remains to be seen whether the ambitious budget request by the Sierra Leone Police will be fully met, but the force’s determination to enhance its capabilities in 2025 is clear.