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The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has launched an intensive refresher training program focused on human trafficking and migrant smuggling for 20 investigators, facilitated by the INTERPOL unit.
This initiative aims to equip participants with the necessary skills and resources to combat the threats posed by traffickers and organized crime on an international scale.
During the opening session held at the Senior Officer’s Mess in Kingtom, Superintendent Gloria Edwards, Deputy Head of INTERPOL, welcomed both participants and facilitators. She emphasized the importance of the training, urging attendees to absorb the essential knowledge needed to tackle human rights violations effectively.
“Human trafficking is not only a crime but also a grave moral challenge that endangers society,” she stated, encouraging active participation throughout the training sessions.
Lead facilitator Mr. Patrice Kouassi, who traveled from INTERPOL Headquarters in Paris, elaborated on the training content and referenced the positive impact of similar programs conducted in Senegal.
He assured participants that the training would cover current strategies for addressing human trafficking and migrant smuggling, both in Sierra Leone and the wider subregion. Mr. Kouassi concluded his remarks by urging participants to engage fully, as the curriculum will address numerous critical areas.
AIG Sahr Yomba Senesie, Director of Training, who represented the Inspector General of Police, also addressed participants about the significance of the training concerning the SLP’s transition from a force-driven approach to a service-oriented model. He conveyed the Inspector General’s commitment to empowering officers to uphold professionalism in their duties.
“Training is vital for developing the skills of our organizational workforce,” AIG Senesie noted, imploring the investigators to approach each session with seriousness, underlining their crucial role in protecting the rights and lives of citizens.
Please, they should provide contact details to reach them via direct phone calls, WhatsApp or emails and set up and emergency response system. We currently have a good number of agents facilitating these programs to illegally trafficking citizens to countries where they will be left stranded. I have heard of so many of them in a waiting list in Guine, some even use Ghana for these illegal practices. What’s worst about all this is that some of our immigration offciers and some officers at the HRMO are part of this game plan, they pay then huge Somes of money and they let their guards down and do the wrong things.