By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
Out of a total of 30,491 (thirty thousand, four hundred and ninety-one) criminal and road crash cases reported and investigated in all 6 Police Command Regions in Sierra Leone with an overall crime rate of 0.35%, the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has recorded a slight reduction of 0.4% in the rate of reported crime in 2023.
Out of the 30,491 reported cases, 4,161 (four thousand, one hundred and sixty-one) representing 13.56% were received and sent to Magistrate courts by the Legal and Justice Support Department of the SLP.
The SLP Crime Statistics Report of 2023 launched at their Headquarters in Freetown on the 14th of February 2024 noted that for the past years of 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2023, Sierra Leone recorded a considerable reduction in the rate of crime which ranked the country third in Africa as the most peaceful country; and first in West Africa.
While launching the report, the Director of Crime Services, Commissioner Joseph Ibrahim Lahai explained the possible reasons for the drop in crime, citing improved and sustained community engagement in the fight against crime, and improved logistical support in the form of patrol vehicles.
He added that the crime rate also reduced due to enhanced operational coordination at strategic, tactical, and operational levels, enhanced inter-institutional relationships between the security and justice sector agencies, and the mounting of checkpoints at strategic points.
Commissioner Lahai stated that one critical function the SLP performs in all of these is the production of the General Annual Crime Statistics Report which he said involves systemic examination of the trends and patterns of crime and disorder.
He pointed out that crime patterns and disorder are strategically important to Management and the Government of Sierra Leone for effective and efficient deployment of resources, as they assist Detectives in identifying and apprehending criminals devising solutions to crime problems, and formulating crime prevention strategies.
The Director of Crime Services affirmed that the Report launched has an analysis of crimes reported to the Police nationwide, from January to December 2023.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (16/02/24)
