The latest Afrobarometer report sheds light on citizen perceptions of police professionalism across Africa, revealing that only about a third (32%) believe their country’s police “often” or “always” operate professionally and respect citizens’ rights. Sierra Leone’s standing in this assessment, however, raises eyebrows, with 39% expressing skepticism about the professionalism of the police force.

The comprehensive report, based on 53,444 interviews in 39 countries, outlines varied sentiments regarding police conduct. While 32% of respondents believe the police “sometimes” exhibit professionalism, a notable 34% claim that such behavior is observed “rarely” or “never.” The data further indicates that Sierra Leone falls within the latter category, raising concerns among its citizens.

In contrast to the six countries where at least half of respondents commend their police for professional conduct, Sierra Leone stands out with only 19% agreeing with this assessment. The report highlights that Eswatini, Kenya, Congo-Brazzaville, and Nigeria share similar sentiments, indicating a widespread lack of confidence in police professionalism in these nations.

A striking revelation from the report is Kenya’s unique situation, where 60% of respondents believe that professional police conduct is rare or unheard of. This statistic stands out prominently against the African average and underscores a significant challenge in the perceived professionalism of law enforcement in Kenya

The Afrobarometer report is a comprehensive, non-partisan research initiative focusing on democracy, governance, and quality of life across the African continent. The findings are based on face-to-face interviews with 1,200-2,400 people in each country, providing nationally representative data with a margin of error of +/- two to three percentage points.