President Adama Barrow cutting the ribbon for the new Serekunda Police Station. (PhotoCredit State of Mic)
By Landing Ceesay
The President of the Republic of the Gambia, His Excellency Adama Barrow, said the inauguration of four police stations on Monday is a manifestation of his government’s commitment to the Security Section Reform (SSR) process in the Gambia.
“The event is another notable manifestation of my government’s commitment to the ongoing Security Sector Reform (SSR). No security sector can deliver effective services in the absence of the infrastructure required for its day-to-day operations, hence the need to upgrade our security sector infrastructure in agreement with our national reform agenda,” Barrow said.
The Gambian President made these remarks while presiding over the inauguration of four police stations situated in Serekunda, Bundung, Bakoteh, and Brusubi.
President Barrow said that the Security Sector Reform (SSR) aims to create a conducive environment for optimal service delivery and to promote and uphold human rights standards. He further stated that the new police stations have been designed to conform with international human rights standards and to create an ideal working environment for police officers. President Barrow is confident that these police stations will help to achieve the national SSR goals that his government is committed to.
“Security is an indispensable aspect of national development. Consequently, due recognition of the important link between security and national development provides a strong basis for the reforms undertaken in the Security Sector. The reforms aim to address the legacies of the past that continue to stain the reputation of the sector. Our goal is to enhance the capability of the sector to efficiently respond to the security needs of the country and beyond.
“It is certain that significant achievements have been made in this regard, which include making the sector accountable to civilian authority, establishing policy frameworks and procedures, and ensuring compliance with human rights standards and the rule of law. I must observe, however, that reforming the Security Sector is neither easy nor straightforward. It is a long process requiring, among other things, huge capital investments to adequately address the relevant logistical, operational, and infrastructural challenges,” he said.
President Barrow said that the security sector reform process will also involve gradually reorienting security personnel through continuous training and retraining. He added that his government is aware of the inadequacy of training facilities within security sector institutions and is committed to addressing this issue.
President Barrow acknowledged that the lack of critical infrastructure hinders the sector’s operations and performance, especially in terms of providing effective in-country reorientation and training programs. He reiterated his government’s commitment to the goals and targets of Security Sector Reform, and said that establishing standard training facilities for the police and other security institutions remains a matter of concern and priority for them.
“In this venture, I call on our international partners to strongly consider supporting this endeavour, as it is a way of attaining a sustainable solution to the numerous challenges confronting the various units of the security sector, particularly in relation to capacity building. On behalf of the Government and People of The Gambia, I express deep gratitude to our EU partners and the implementing agency, GIZ, for laudably contributing to the realisation of these state-of-the-art structures.
“I thank you all most sincerely and look forward to strengthening our partnerships. To the Police High Command and our noblemen and women in uniform, I register commendation for the tireless efforts and services you continually offer in policing the nation. I encourage the officers who will run these stations to remain steadfast in the service of the country. We expect improved services and true professionalism in the conduct of your duties. Because you represent our national law enforcement agency in these locations, if you serve well, your conduct and attitude will go a long way in flying the Gambian flag high as a nation that upholds human rights and the rule of law,” Barrow said.
President Barrow said the work ethics and performance of the police should demonstrate how their reform programme could be used as a model for other institutions in the new Gambia they crave to sustain. He said a lot is expected of the police.
The Gambian President urged everyone to continue to work closely with the police and support them at all times for collective safety and security.
The police stations in Serekunda, Bundung, and Bakoteh are divided into public and restricted access zones to prevent unauthorized access to the interview rooms, detention cells, offices, and exhibit stores. This is to ensure that witnesses and suspects can be interviewed in separate rooms away from the crowded charge offices, where they are in earshot of people who should not be privy to confidential information required for police investigations.
The Serekunda and Bundung Police stations are equipped with exhibit stores for storage of material evidence, separate detention rooms for males, females, and juveniles, modern investigation rooms for criminal investigations and Gender- Based-Violence offenses, and sanitary rooms for officers and inmates, among others.