Police get guns, a first since civil war
The Liberian government issued guns to a unit of police, making them the first officers to carry arms since the end of the West African country’s 14-year civil war three years ago.
The move is part of an effort to fight crime in the capital, Monrovia, before Christmas, said Beatrice Munnah Sieh, the national police chief. She declined to say how many officers had received guns.
The unit is made up of graduates of a United Nations training program that aims to create a 3,500-member force. During the civil conflict, police were accused of brutality.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
