Addressing personnel of the Sierra Leone Correctional Services, Chairman of the Correctional Service Council, Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has said that government is in the process of recruiting 1,000 officers, with more to follow. This, he said, is to address the Service’s identified human resource shortage.

Recruitment of the future leadership cadre of the correctional service will be based on track record of one’s level of experience, discipline, understanding, transparency and accountability.

Promotion of senior officers, the VP emphasized, would be based on interview at which he will be present.

Questions will be asked on various aspects of correction including one’s own respect for human rights and other unexpected questions. Those who are not prepared, the VP warned, should not attend the interview because the new generation of correctional service leaders will be chosen on this basis.

In designing of the future leadership of the correctional service, VP Jalloh stated that the message he brought with him was one where senior officers should be setting brighter examples for junior officers. VP Jalloh stressed on the issue of discipline and respect for work.

The administration and the Council, he said, would not take kindly to indiscipline and trafficking. Any officer caught trafficking will not only be immediately dismissed but will also be prosecuted, he emphasized.

Very soon, he said, example will be set by the sub-committee composed of lawyers, the Minister of Internal Affairs and CSOs investigating alleged cases of indiscipline and misconduct.

VP Jalloh stated that government has to do more to ensure that correctional personnel exercise patience as government is working hard to improve on the salary and welfare of the security sector; including provision of vehicles and trucks for the service, and renovation of correctional centers.