Executive Summary
In 2019 and 2020, the Civilian Complaints Review Board received 726 and 590 complaints, respectively through the LNP Professional Standards Department and 54 and 80 complaints, respectively from the LIS Professional Standards Division. While the number of complaints filed against police officers decreased by 18.7% in 2020, complaints against Immigration officers increased by 48%.
The allegations most frequently filed against police officers were: (I) Simple assault; (ii) Theft of Property, (3) Action of debt; (4) Negligent of duty; (5) Illegal seizure of property and (6) Persistent Non-support. These categories of misconduct constituted about 64% of all complaints filed in 2019, and 60% of all complaints filed in 2020.
For the Liberia Immigration Service, the most frequent complaints against immigration officers in 2019 were: Indebtedness, Persistent Non-support; Misapplication of funds and Extortion. These allegations constituted 50% of all complaints. In +2020, indebtedness, Persistent non-support, Absence without official leave and disorderly conduct were the most frequent complaints, amounting to 45% of all complaints.
The Professional Standards Department of the Liberia National Police was able to investigate and complete 48.35% of the complaints received in 2019. In 2020, the LNP PSD completed 37% of complaints filed. The PSD of LIS completed and resolved 94% of complaints filed in 2019 and 73% of complaints filed in 2020.
Of the 351 cases resolved by the LNP PSD in 2019, 223 (63%) complaints were sustained and a variety of penalties were recommended by the PSD for administrative action. In 69 cases 20% of complaints, the subject officers
were exonerated. Nine of the complaints were determined to be unfounded (2.5%), five cases (1.4%) were not sustained, and 45 cases were administratively closed (12.8%). In 2020, of the 222 complaints resolved by the LNP PSD, 64.4% were sustained, while 23% were administratively closed. In 5.8% of cases, the officers were exonerated, while in 5.4% cases the complaints were unfounded.
With regards to the Professional Standards Division of the LIS, of the 51 complaints completed and resolved in 2019, 90% were sustained, 4% were unfounded and 6% were administratively closed. In 2020, 70% of complaints resolved wee sustained, while in 13.7% of cases, the accused officers were exonerated. 13.7% of cases were administratively closed.
With regards to Police Units whose officers were most frequently complained, the Police Support Unit (PSU) had the most complaints for both 2019 and 2020, followed by followed by Zone 5 Police station and its depots, Zone 9 and its depots, Zone 3 and depots and Zone 4 and depots..
There were issues of non-compliance with legal provisions regarding reporting by the administration of the Liberia National Police. The Inspector General of Police has not been very cooperative with the Board and has several reports and implementation of Board recommendations outstanding. Further, the relevant statues, regulations and administrative instructions supporting the work of the CCRB and Professional Standards Departments of the LIS and LNP have not been fully distributed to the units and staff of the PSD and majority of officers of the two institutions are not aware of the provisions regarding misconduct and disciplinary procedures.