A Force For Good? Police Reform in Postwar Sierra Leone

Abstract

In 2002, Sierra Leone emerged from over a decade long conflict that resulted in the deaths and mutilation of tens of thousands and the near collapse of the state. Already weak and politicized prior to the war, the conflict wreaked further damage on the police and other security and justice sector institutions. Although the police managed to survive the conflict, by the late 1990s and early 2000s, it was a police force in name only—lacking in capacity, logistics, and public trust. The work to transform the police from a regime protection, corrupt and oppressive institution to one that responds to and meets the policing needs of a postwar society was therefore enormous. With the support of the UN and other donors, the United Kingdom took the lead in rebuilding and transforming the police and other justice and security sector institutions. This chapter evaluates international efforts to reform the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and assesses the impact of these reforms on the performance and effectiveness of the SLR It argues that while the reform efforts of the UK and UN have increased the capacity of the SLP and improved its public perception ratings, the heavy focus on technical and operational support have taken precedence over local ownership and sustainability.