By Mark N. Mengonfia
Monrovia-April-26-2024-TNR: Members of the Liberian Legislature want more protection for themselves as they have introduced a Bill to create a special police force.
The Bill was proffered by Bong County District Three Representative, J. Marvin Cole, who chairs the House’s Committee on Rules, Order and Administration.
The Bill, when passed, will ensure that the lawmakers get a special security that will be trained and well-armed excessively for the protection of members of the House of Representatives.
Yesterday was the first reading of the instrument thereafter, Plenary voted to send it to the Judiciary Committee to report next Tuesday.
The instrument got the support of majority members of the body who overwhelmingly gave their willingness for the establishment of said police force.
Some of the lawmakers were not pleased with the name provided by the crafter of the Bill.
As part of the work the committee has to do is to fine the name to make it suitable that will be acceptable.
Members of that body as per law are entitled to two securities that are being paid by the Government of Liberia while the Speaker and his Deputy should have five or more securities to protect them.
“What additional securities do we need?” Maryland County Representative, Anthony Williams inquired.
Williams does not see any reason why they should have additional officers when they are already entitled to two officers including private securities assigned at the Legislature.
Williams thinks that establishing additional security unit to protect lawmakers is additional burden for the people of Liberia.
According to Williams, what they should be thinking about is increasing the salaries of the already available securities whose salaries are very poor instead of creating a special force just to protect them.
For his part, Montserrado County District Nine Representative, Frank Saah Foko argued that if they were to take such action, the Liberia National Police, Armed Forces of Liberia’s budget could be increased to help with securities for the ordinary people and not those who already have securities.
There is no particular statistics that points to the ratio of a police officer to citizens. It is likely that the current force of the LNP is in the range of 4,444 with some nearing retirement.
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