IGP Sellu Calls for Promotion Ceremonies to Be Held Across Police Regions
Sia Lucy Kannah Inspector General of Police (IGP) William Fayia Sellu has called for formal promotion ceremonies across all regional and divisional commands of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), emphasizing that personnel of all ranks deserve public recognition for their career advancement.
The police chief appealed while addressing senior officers, dignitaries, and guests during a decoration ceremony held in honor of newly promoted Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Mr. Andrew Mustapha Kamara.
According to IGP Sellu, decentralizing promotion ceremonies is a critical step in the SLP’s ongoing transformation from a traditional law enforcement force into a modern, service-oriented institution anchored in community engagement, transparency, and accountability.
By hosting decoration ceremonies at the regional and divisional levels, the police leadership aims to bridge the gap between law enforcement officers and the citizens they protect. IGP Sellu specifically proposed involving local governance structures in the process, suggesting that paramount chiefs and community stakeholders be invited to decorate officers serving within their jurisdictions.
“If a paramount chief decorates a corporal working in a division within his chiefdom, it would motivate that officer and make the partnership between the police and the community much stronger,” IGP Sellu stated.
He noted that public recognition not only boosts morale and fosters a deeper sense of belonging among junior and mid-level ranks, but also reinforces community ownership of local policing and demonstrates that the institution values its personnel at every tier.
Reflecting on the promotion of DIG Kamara, the IGP urged personnel to view the advancement of colleagues as a collective milestone rather than personal competition. He encouraged officers to adopt an “abundant mentality,” the belief that career opportunities are plentiful and that one officer’s success does not diminish another’s prospects.
“Do your best and leave the rest to God,” he advised, cautioning against professional resentment while urging officers to remain dedicated to their constitutional duties and celebrate each other’s achievements.
IGP Sellu also stressed the need to strengthen esprit de corps across the institution, calling for enduring solidarity between active-duty personnel and retired officers. He warned against allowing rank or retirement status to create rifts within the force, reminding attendees that the Sierra Leone Police must remain a unified family bound by shared experiences and service to the nation.