On Saturday, September 7, 2024, the community of Mamba Bridge in Moeba marked a significant milestone with the official handover of a newly constructed police post to the Sierra Leone Police (SLP).

The event, held in the presence of the Regional Police Commander for Freetown-East, ACP Francis Meinday, representing the Inspector General of Police, celebrated the community’s efforts in boosting security.

Prominent community leaders, including the major sponsor of the project, Mr. Sullay Kargbo, Zonal Chairman Mr. Lamin Conteh, LPPB Regional Secretary Mr. Melbourne Greene, and Ward 419 Councilor Mr. Solomon J. Kamara, expressed their deep gratitude to the police, especially the Regional Commander and the Local Unit Commander (LUC) of the Harbour Division, for their commitment to enhancing security in Mamba Ridge.

LUC CSP Emmanuel Kpulun commended the initiative, acknowledging the residents’ commitment to their own safety by building and donating the police post to the SLP. He affirmed that the post would be manned by officers from both the General Duty (GD) and Operational Support Division (OSD), ensuring round-the-clock attention to community concerns.

ACP Meinday, in his keynote address, cited a famous quote from Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart: “An old woman is always uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb,” highlighting that only those involved in criminal activities have reason to fear increased police presence.

He encouraged communities to collaborate with law enforcement, emphasizing that the police post would serve to foster closer ties between the SLP and residents, thus promoting community-based policing. He further urged the youth to take advantage of recruitment opportunities within the police force.

The new police post aims to address security challenges in Mamba Ridge, a community plagued by difficult terrain and limited road access. The post represents a significant step in bridging the gap between the SLP and the residents, ensuring a safer environment for all. The ceremony was chaired by Superintendent Samuel Sao Conteh, Deputy Head of the Community Relations Department at Police Headquarters.