The efforts of the Police must be appreciated, even though…
Just recently, Head of State Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf landed a ‘bombshell on the Liberia National Police inflicting number casualties”.
Prominent among them was the Deputy Director for Operations, Col. Abraham Kroma whose removal, last weekend, continues to receive mix reactions from the Liberian public.
Whatever the case may be – mix reactions or not- like other appointed officials of the Liberian Government, former Deputy Police Director Kromah served at the “will and pleasure” of the President of Liberia, and it was her Constitutional prerogative to fire him.
While there may have been a few excesses characterizing the duties and functions of the Police under Col. Kromah as head of Operations, it may also be an established fact the his achievements, particularly in the area of public safety, are uncountable.
While we do not- in any manner or form- whatever excesses the Police may have committed under his leadership, it is better also not to ‘demonize’ him, but to appreciate his efforts and stewardship as a young man in minimizing crimes, especially armed robbery in the Liberian society.
In such a hostile society like ours wherein the value system, as well as respect for law and order no longer exist because some people feel they are an “island”, there is surely the urgent need for an aggressive Police Director or Deputy for Operations, etc., etc. It is no secret that in the process of enforcing law and order, unruliness and other hostile challengers exhibited by violators may result to the use of excessive force.
This must not be considered new to Liberia; unless we are not following the trends of events the world-over. A typical example is the recent “Freddie Gray” incident in the City of Baltimore in Maryland, the United States , where the police used excessive force to restore law and order during protest actions against Freddie’s death after being reportedly tortured.
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Whether or not Kromah’s dismissal can be attributed to his relationship with motorcyclists or propaganda emanating from the hierarchy of the Liberia national Police, the President of Liberia- in her wisdom in consonance with the 1986 Liberian Constitution, made the final decision to have him replaced, probably, to arrest any anticipated tension- decision that must be welcomed.