Over five hundred police officers in the eastern region, which include personnel from Tongo, Kenema, Kailahun, Motema and Tankoro divisions have embarked on a refresher training funded by UNDP at the Kenema police barracks along Hangha Road in Kenema city.
The aim of the exercise is to prepare personnel ahead of the forthcoming local council elections.
According to the deputy director of training, ASP Abdul Michael Sovula, “the training is to build the capacity of the Crowd Control Unit (CCU), Police Support Unit (PSU) and the Mobile Armed Response Group (MARG) in the region so that they can professionally police the coming elections”.
He stated that the routine training was part of the SLP as it would help officers to know their roles and responsibilities during crises, adding that personnel were enthusiastic to undergo the exercise.
The operational support coordinator East of the OSD, Chief Superintendent Augustine Kailie, emphasized the importance of the training to SLP.
He said officers were to be well trained physically and professionally so that they could handle situation at any given time.
The coordinator added that, “the SLP is a professional institution that is always ready to provide diligent services to the people of this country before, during and after the elections period”.