Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – The Gambia Police Force (GPF) has successfully wrapped up a three-day consultation workshop aimed at validating the draft of a revised police bill. The workshop, held in collaboration with various external stakeholders, marked a significant step forward in reforming the country’s policing framework to better align with democratic principles and community needs.

The gathering brought together a diverse array of participants, including regional governors, chiefs, “alkalolus” (village heads), and other key partners who contributed valuable insights and inputs to the proposed bill. The revised bill, which has been under development for three years, seeks to modernize and restructure the GPF, ensuring it is more responsive, inclusive, and better equipped to handle contemporary policing challenges.

Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Ebrima Bah, speaking on behalf of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sidi Mokhtar Touray, expressed deep gratitude to all participants and extended special thanks to the German development agency GIZ for their invaluable support throughout the drafting process.

“On behalf of the Inspector General of Police, I want to first of all thank the sponsors of this very important process to deliver a police bill. Since the inception of this project in The Gambia some three years ago, they have partnered with the police in various areas such as capacity building, logistics, and training. They have been a very fruitful partner to The Gambia Police Force,” AIG Bah stated, specifically acknowledging the contributions of Teresa Olbert from the GIZ Police Program. “We expect the collaboration between the GIZ and the Gambia Police Force will continue to prosper.”

Teresa Olbert, speaking on behalf of the GIZ Police Program, reaffirmed GIZ’s commitment to supporting the GPF’s reform initiatives. She praised the GPF for its openness to reform and its dedication to upholding the highest standards of policing. “The IGP rightfully reminded us at the start of the workshop that we are doing this exercise for the sake of future generations. I witnessed discussions to make the police bill more inclusive, the police force more diverse, and more responsive to cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). We believe that the revised bill will provide a solid foundation for enhancing your capabilities and ensuring that justice is served with integrity and fairness,” Olbert said.

The workshop also garnered positive feedback from other key stakeholders. Counsel Kissima Bittaye from the Ministry of Justice, who participated in the discussions, commended the GPF for its proactive efforts to repeal and replace the current Police Act. He noted that the new bill is a necessary update that addresses the realities of modern-day policing in The Gambia.

“We’ve gone through the entire bill, and it’s clear that it aims to reform the police by re-establishing the police structure and introducing mechanisms that will foster greater professionalism and discipline within the force. This is not to say that professionalism doesn’t already exist, but the bill seeks to strengthen it. Overall, the bill is very progressive,” Counsel Bittaye remarked.

The successful conclusion of this workshop marks a significant milestone in The Gambia’s ongoing journey toward a more effective, community-centered policing framework. The revised bill, once enacted, is expected to play a crucial role in enhancing the GPF’s ability to serve and protect with integrity, fairness, and respect for human rights.