PHOTO: Justice Min. Frank Musa Dead, Joint Security Chair
Liberia’s Joint Security has announced measures in Combating Crimes, setting up Interagency Investigative Panel, as various community watch teams have raised alarm over not being protected by the Police and other state security agencies.
The Community Watch team groups, including “Kapao-kapao secure Liberia”, said although they as civilians have been volunteering in assisting the police to reduce the high crime rate, especially at night, they are not getting protection from the police.
According to late night crimes watch radio programs on Tuesday, several of the community watch agents were attacked by alleged criminals in the Monrovia suburb of Duport Road were allowed to go scot-free after anti-robbery police arrived, but that three community watch agents were instead jailed.
It is reported that a motorbike belonging to the watch team agent was taken away and one of their members have been left seriously injured.
Members of the Community Watch teams are angry. They say that when they are up at night monitoring the security situation in various parts of Monrovia and its environs, most of the police and other state security are nowhere to be found.
In a special meeting in at the Justice Ministry in Monrovia, the Joint Security Tuesday, November 9, 2021 reviewed every aspect of the national security situation in Liberia and resolved to augment its Community Policing Program, increase foot and mobile patrols, as a means of combating crimes in the communities.
A Justice Ministry press release says the Joint Security also renewed its commitment to the protection of the general populace and called on the public not to panic, as it rolls out several measures to enhance security.
Regarding investigation into the current deaths of Mr. John Tubman, Reverend William R. Tolbert III, and Madam Maude Elliott, the Joint Security has constituted a Special Investigation Panel, comprising Criminal Investigation Experts from each of the security agencies, to conduct a comprehensive and exhaustive investigation. The panel is mandated to consider every element of the investigation.