The Liberia National Police (LNP) is the national law enforcement agency of Liberia. Established in 1956, it is responsible for maintaining public order, preventing and investigating crime, and enforcing the law throughout the country. The LNP operates under the authority of the Ministry of Justice and exercises jurisdiction across Liberia's counties and municipalities.
Following the end of Liberia's civil wars, the Liberia National Police underwent extensive reform and rebuilding with support from international partners, particularly during the period of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). Since the withdrawal of UNMIL, the LNP has continued to develop as a nationally led institution, with responsibilities that include routine policing, public order management, criminal investigations, and participation in international peacekeeping operations.
The force is headed by an Inspector General of Police and is organized into specialized commands responsible for administration, operations, crime services, and training. Despite progress in institutional development, the LNP continues to face challenges related to resources, infrastructure, and public confidence.
History
Prior to its formal establishment in 1956, policing in Liberia evolved gradually from small constabulary and municipal law enforcement arrangements concentrated primarily in Monrovia. In the early 20th century, public order was maintained through locally organized police units operating under the authority of the central government, with limited reach beyond urban centers. During the 1920s and 1940s, efforts were made to professionalize these arrangements, including the creation of a national constabulary force and the introduction of external advisory support aimed at improving organization, training, and discipline. These initiatives laid the institutional foundation for the creation of a centralized national police service in the postwar period.[1]
Post Civil War
As part of the initial reform process, UNPOL conducted a nationwide registration and assessment exercise in which approximately 5,000 individuals identified themselves as former or current members of the LNP. Assessments conducted during this period found that many lacked formal training, uniforms, or regular pay, underscoring the extent to which policing institutions had deteriorated during the conflict. To stabilize security conditions, UNPOL and Liberian authorities recruited and deployed an interim force of approximately 400 officers, while United Nations Quick Impact Projects supported the rehabilitation of police facilities and the resumption of basic policing functions, particularly in Monrovia and other urban centers.[2]
Throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, international assistance emphasized recruitment, training, and professionalization. Thousands of officers were trained during this period, and specialized units—including the Emergency Response Unit and the Police Support Unit—were established to address public order management, armed robbery, and other priority security challenges. While these reforms expanded institutional capacity, studies noted persistent challenges related to staffing levels, uneven geographic deployment, and the concentration of police personnel in Montserrado County.[3] As UNMIL began to reduce its presence, the Liberian National Police was expected to transition into the chief provider of internal security. Analysts highlighted the importance of establishing effective oversight mechanisms to ensure professionalism, accountability, and public confidence following decades of institutional collapse and political manipulation under previous regimes.[4]
By the early 2020s, the LNP reported a personnel strength of more than 4,000 officers deployed across Liberia's police territorial districts. Official reports highlighted efforts to strengthen internal accountability, expand community policing initiatives, and increase the participation of women within the force. During the period from October 2021 to November 2022, the Liberian National Police adopted new administrative regulations, expanded training programs, and continued engagement with international partners, while also identifying ongoing constraints related to resources, staffing levels, and operational capacity.[5]
International deployments and peacekeeping
The Liberia National Police (LNP) has participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations through the deployment of police officers to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). In January 2021, the LNP deployed an initial group of officers who had been vetted and certified by the United Nations to serve as United Nations Police (UNPOL) personnel in South Sudan.[6]
Later in 2021, a second batch of LNP officers was deployed to UNMISS, reflecting Liberia's continued contribution to international peacekeeping efforts.[7] Additional deployments of LNP personnel to South Sudan have been reported in subsequent years, including deployments in 2024.[8]
In July 2022, the United Nations recognized Liberian police officers serving in South Sudan for their contributions to peacekeeping and community policing under the UNMISS mandate.[9] According to United Nations Peacekeeping, Liberia contributes both military and police personnel to UN peace operations worldwide, including missions in South Sudan.[10]
Departments
The Liberian National Police (LNP) is organized under a command-based structure headed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The organizational framework comprises several major commands responsible for administration, operations, training, and professional oversight.[11]
The Administration Command is responsible for internal management and institutional support functions. Its mandate includes personnel administration, finance, logistics, communications, records and identification, planning and research, and public affairs–related services, including court liaison and chaplaincy functions.[12]
The Operations Command is the primary operational arm of the LNP and is responsible for frontline policing, crime prevention, and public safety. Units under this command include patrol services, the Criminal Investigation Division, the Criminal Intelligence Unit, traffic and motor vehicle enforcement, public safety units, INTERPOL liaison functions, and specialized formations such as the Emergency Response Unit (ERU), the Police Support Unit (PSU), and the Women and Children Protection Unit.[13]
The Crime Services Department (CSD) Command provides technical and investigative support services to operational units. Its functions include forensic services, crime analysis, and specialized investigative support aimed at strengthening criminal investigations nationwide.[14]
The Training Command is responsible for the recruitment, training, and professional development of police personnel. It oversees basic recruit training, in-service training, and specialized capacity-building programs conducted through the Liberia National Police Academy and Training School, with the objective of improving operational effectiveness and professional standards within the force.[15]
For policing purposes, Liberia is divided into five geographic regions administered under the operational command structure. These regions are intended to facilitate coordination, supervision, and nationwide deployment of police personnel across the country's counties.[16]
Training
The Liberia National Police Training Academy (LNPTA), located in Paynesville City, Montserrado County, serves as the primary institution responsible for the training of police personnel in Liberia.[17] Referred to on the official LNP website as the Police Academy, the institution provides basic recruit training as well as in-service and specialized courses for serving officers.[18]
Leadership
The current Inspector General of the Liberia National Police is Gregory O. W. Coleman, the head of the national police force.[19]
Inspectors General of the Liberia National Police
Inspector General
Term of office
Notes
Beatrice Munah Sieh Brown
2006–2009
Appointed Inspector General in 2006 and stepped down in 2009 during the post-war police reform period. She was later convicted by the Supreme Court of Liberia for corruption and financial impropriety related to police uniform procurement.[20][21]
Christopher Clarence Massaquoi
c.2010–2016
Served during the period of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) drawdown and expanded engagement with international partners.[22][23]
Patrick Toe Sudue
2018–early 2020s
Appointed Inspector General in 2018 after more than two decades of service within the Liberia National Police.[24]
Gregory O. W. Coleman
Early 2020s–present
Current Inspector General of the Liberia National Police.[25]
Challenges and public perception
Analyses have highlighted persistent issues in Liberia's domestic security environment, including resource constraints, limited manpower, and concerns about professionalism and misconduct within the Liberian National Police.[26]
Independent assessments and public opinion surveys have identified persistent challenges affecting the Liberian National Police, particularly with respect to public confidence and perceived corruption. The Fourth Edition of the State of Corruption Report, published by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), found that although overall perceptions of corruption declined slightly in 2024, a large majority of respondents continued to view corruption as widespread across public institutions.[27]
The report ranked police services among the public services perceived as most prone to corruption, with a significant proportion of respondents reporting concerns related to bribery, abuse of authority, and service delivery. Analysts have noted that such perceptions, combined with logistical constraints and manpower shortages, pose ongoing challenges to efforts aimed at strengthening professionalism and public trust in law enforcement institutions in Liberia.[28]
In a high-profile legal case, the Supreme Court of Liberia upheld the conviction of former Inspector General Beatrice Munah Sieh-Brown and four co-defendants for corruption and financial impropriety in the procurement of uniforms for the Emergency Response Unit of the Liberia National Police; the court found them liable for economic sabotage, theft of property, criminal facilitation, and criminal conspiracy, and ordered restitution of US $199,800, part of which was later paid into government accounts.[29]
↑Weh-Dorliae, Yarsuo Laezee (2015). The United Nations Training of the Liberia National Police: Effectiveness, Results, and Future Implications (Thesis). Walden University.
Olukoshi, A. (2008). Governance trends in West Africa, 2006: A synthesis report. Dakar, Senegal:CODESRIA & OSIWA.
Opolot, J. E. (2008). Police administration in Africa: Toward theory and practice in English-speaking countries (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
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