In fulfillment of the aspirations of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), which is to move the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) forward and to make it an enviable institution among others, the Head of Media, Public Relations and Sports Department, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr. Brima Kamara and team, have been embarking on a nationwide tour in the past weeks, to select suitable personnel to serve as Divisional Media\Information Officers in all 36 Police Divisions across the country.

The idea of reestablishing Divisional Media\Information officers was initiated or necessitated by the IGP, Dr. Ambrose Michael Sovula, after he realized that there was a hindered communication flow between the Fourth Estate and the SLP, particularly in the Divisions. There was practically no identifiable person a journalist could talk to in the various Police Divisions to timely, credible and accurate information.

It has always been the wish and aspiration of the IGP to see the SLP attain credibility, acceptability, visibility and respectability locally and internationally. These goals cannot be achieved without the cooperation and support of the Fourth Estate. That was why he (IGP) instructed rotational SLP press conferences to be held or conducted diversely in all Regional and District Headquarters in Sierra Leone.

ACP Brima Kamara has already commenced the implementation of the IGP’s wish after he recently organized press conferences in Portloko, Makeni, Bo and Kenema cities respectfully. Members of the Fourth Estate in those parts of the country lauded and appreciated the idea of bringing SLP’s Press Conferences into their door steps as many of them said it is an opportunity to interface with the Police hierarchy, which would further grant them the opportunity to ask pertinent questions about the functions and operations of the SLP.

According to A-Z Newspaper, many of the journalists and civil society activists who were in attendance jokingly exclaimed; “this is how it should be; we should be seeing major events like these decentralized from Freetown to the provinces. Freetown alone does not constitute the entire Sierra Leone. We hope it continues this way”.