The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has responsibility to protect life and property; maintain law and order; enforce relevant laws; prevent and detect crimes among others.
One critical function the SLP performs in all of these is the production of the General Annual Crime Statistics Report. This Report involves systemic examination of the trends and patterns of crime and disorder.
Crime trends and patterns of crime and disorder are strategically important to Management and the Government of Sierra Leone for the following reasons:
Effective and efficient deployment of resources
Assist detectives in identifying and apprehending criminals and
Devising solutions to crime problems and formulating crime prevention strategies.
The Report to be launched contains analysis of crimes reported to the Police nationwide from January to December 2023.
It further indicates the overall percentage of reported cases in 2023. Major offences are captured in the 2023 report and various hotspots are also identified.
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT
In 2023, a total of 30,491 criminal and road crash cases were reported and investigated in all the six (6) Police Command Regions in Sierra Leone with an overall crime rate of 0.35%. Comparatively, there was a slight reduction of 0.4% in the rate of crime in 2023.
For the past years (2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023) the country had recorded considerable reduction in the rate of crime which ranked the country third in Africa as the most peaceful country; and first in West Africa.
POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR THE REDUCTIONS
Improved and sustained community engagement in the fight against crime
Improved logistical support in the form of patrol vehicles
Enhanced operational coordination at strategic, tactical and operational levels
Enhanced inter-institutional relationship between the security and justice sector agencies
Mounting of checkpoints at strategic points
REGIONAL CRIME RATE
This was done to identify regions with the highest crime rate in Sierra Leone. From the analysis, Western Area (Freetown East and Freetown West) combined recorded 18,988 cases – representing 62.%; Northern Region (North East and North West) combined logged 5,180 cases which represent 17.0%; Southern Region recorded 3,275 cases with a percentage of 11.0% and Eastern Region recorded 3,048 cases representing 10.0%.
Note: This analysis clearly indicates that Western Area is always prone to criminal activities than any other region in Sierra Leone; followed by the Northern Region, Southern Region and Eastern Region respectively.
DIVISIONAL CRIME ANALYSIS
The SLP has 36 (thirty six) Divisions, manned by Local Unit Commanders (LUCs).
Three (3) major offences (Homicide, Robbery with Aggravation and Robbery with Violence) were identified and analysed by Division. This was basically done to identify certain Divisions where the activities of these three major offences were carried out.
In 2023, the Family Support Unit recorded 10,063 cases as compared to 11,613 cases in 2022.
Out of these recorded cases in 2023, 7,927 were Domestic Violence cases, 323 cases of child offences and 1,813 cases of sexual offences.
Family Support Unit however charged 739 cases (i.e. 107 cases of sexual offences charged, 627 cases of Domestic Violence and 5 cases of Child Offences). 1,052 cases closed, 1,218 cases kept in view and 7,054 cases still under investigations
(ii) The highest rate of these Offences (Offences of Women and Children) occurred in Freetown East with 3,499 cases followed by Freetown West with 1,756 cases, and North East Region with 1,574 cases, North West recorded the least number of cases that is 555 cases. For the past years, Freetown East had been known as the region where the offences of Women and Children are mostly committed. The country realized considerable reduction on the numbers of cases reported to the Family Support Unit involving women and children in 2023 by 1,550 cases when compared 2022.
(iii) In the Area of Traffic Management, a total of 3,953 Traffic Accident Cases were reported countrywide when compared to 4,124 cases in 2022. Comparatively, the rate of accident cases drastically declined by 171 cases in 2023. The Road Traffic Management Report indicates that, 3,830 people were involved in accidents in 2023. Out of these figures, 490 people were fatally injured (male 390 and Female 100), 1341 Seriously Injured (Male 822 and Female 519) and 2,099 people Slightly Injured (Male 1,326 and Female 771).
(iv) The Transnational Organized Crime Unit (TOCU) investigated a total of 269 cases; of which 106 cases were charged to Court, 28 cases sent to DPP, and 136 cases under investigation.
(v) In 2023, 70 cases were recorded as assault on police; these cases were investigated and charged to court.
(vi) The Anti-Land Grabbing Unit in the Sierra Leone Police investigated 334 land cases, out of this figure, 39 cases charged to court, 101 cases were sent to Ministry of Lands for verification of documents, 39 cases settled, 66 cases kept in view and 89 cases still under investigations.
Holistically, there were 30,491 reported cases and out of these figures, 4,161 cases (13.56%) were received and sent to Magistrate Courts by the Legal and Justice Support Department of the SLP
