Recently, participants of the Continental Conference on Peace and Prosperity organized by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Peace (MoP) had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of the Ethiopian Federal Police Commission, specifically the Federal Police Forensic Investigation and Research Center of Excellence.
During the tour, the Ethiopian Federal Police (EFP) revealed that it is focusing on introducing modern technological advancements to strengthen its law enforcement activities following the 2018 Security Sector Reform (SSR) as part of the reforms being undertaken by the institution.
SSR was initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) to reform the nation’s security sectors, defense force, police institution, and the intelligence sector to build modern, strong, and professional security sectors.
Following the implementation of SSR, EFP is working to equip the police institution with modern and advanced technologies to enhance its effectiveness in crime prevention and investigation.
EFP showcased to the visitors the technologies being used for its law enforcement activities, from in-house developed applications, CCTV cameras, nationwide information gathering systems to modern applications developed for different functions, and other modern technological equipment.
In addition to integrating technological advancements for law enforcement, EFP’s emphasis on cyber security in implementing these technologies was an enlightening experience for the visitors.
During the coffee break, I had a brief conversation with a Tanzanian visitor who was surprised by the technologies he observed at the federal police headquarters. “I am surprised to see such sophisticated technologies implemented in developing countries,” he said, adding, “Where did you get these technologies?”
The Ethiopian Police institution has a long history of providing police service in the country, with over 100 years of institutional service. Ethiopia’s Police institution, established during the Menelik-II era, has served the country for over a century in preventing and investigating crimes, modernized following technological advancements.
Welcoming the visitors at the headquarters, Deputy Commissioner General of the FDRE Police Force, Melaku Fanta, stated that even before establishing the police institution during Emperor Menelik-II’s era, the Ethiopian community had the experience of patrolling its area and exposing criminals based on community values and rules with appropriate punishments. This indicates that law enforcement activities in Ethiopia have existed for a long period of time, despite the modern police institution being established during the Emperor Menelik-II era.
According to the Deputy Commissioner General, despite the long history of the police institution in Ethiopia, it was affiliated with the political system until the recent security sector reform (SSR) was implemented following the 2018 national reform.
The Security Sector Reform (SSR) helped the Ethiopian Federal Police to build a modern, professional, politically-independent police institution and to introduce modern technological advancements for its law enforcement activities.
Accordingly, Melaku said that the SSR is achieving its goal in building a professional and capable police institution where the Ethiopian Federal Police set a target to become among the top five police institutions in Africa by 2030, especially in incorporating the latest technologies for effective law enforcement activities.
Following SSR, EFP has been working to build a technologically equipped, strong, and modern police institution and currently, according to the Deputy Commissioner General, EPF is realizing its vision of building a technologically-equipped robust police institution. Currently, according to Melaku, EFP becomes a strong security institution incorporating well-trained human resources and modern technological capacities, next to the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) in Ethiopia. Thanks to the SSR, EFP becomes a capable institution in accomplishing law enforcement missions effectively.
“Thanks to SSR, policing investigation has shifted from manual to digital systems, and EFP owns a modern forensic and DNA laboratory to investigate sophisticated crimes,” the Deputy Commissioner General stated.
In addition to introducing and implementing modern technological advancements, EFP gives due attention to developing technology-friendly trained human resources thanks to the Ethiopian Police University. The university is providing well-trained human resources helping the institution to manage and develop modern, sophisticated, and emerging technologies for its law enforcement activities.
In addition to the role in developing police in crime prevention and investigation, the implemented technologies helped the institution to develop participation of the people in crime prevention and investigation.
EFP developed applications to gather crime-related suggestions or applications from all corners of the country to the headquarters. The integrated system helped the Commissioner General to follow the cases and evaluate the responded and non-responded cases easily.
Similarly, EFP is building Smart Community Police Stations in Addis Ababa, thanks to the reform. These all-rounded reforms helped the institution to perform its activities effectively and professionally. These reforms enhanced the implementation capacity of EFP and as a result of this modernization, Addis Ababa is busy hosting a lot of regional, continental, and international forums peacefully and successfully.
According to Melaku, these technological advancements are also crucial in controlling cross-border crimes. Especially, the forensic and DNA service center is set to provide regional services.
Approached by The Ethiopian Herald during the courtesy visit, Liberia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Francis Sakila Nyumalin, commended Ethiopian Federal Police’s technological advancements for law enforcement. Francis noted that Ethiopia’s achievements in technological advancements are a testament to Africa’s potential to match global standards, adding, “Ethiopia is proving that what is done in the West is also possible in Africa. This provides hope for the entire continent.”
For her part, South Africa’s Minister of Defense and Military Veterans, Angelina Motshekga, during the visit also commended EFP for integrating advanced technologies and ICT in law enforcement, stating, “You have done a remarkable job integrating ICT into policing, training young people, and utilizing modern technological infrastructure. This is truly impressive.”
For his part, Ethiopian Police University President, Deputy Commissioner General Mesfin Abebe told EPA during the event that EFP introduces modern technologies to develop its institutional capability. Especially, the recently inaugurated forensic center is set to combat not only national crimes but also to provide services for the countries of the region.
The Ethiopian Forensic Investigation and Research Center of Excellence was inaugurated on 16 November 2024 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), and Ethiopia owns a DNA laboratory since last year. These technologies developed the capability of the police institution in preventing and investigating sophisticated crimes.
According to Mesfin, the Forensic Investigation Center has the capacity to provide probing services beyond Ethiopia. The forensic center, equipped with modern technologies and laboratories, is designed to investigate organized and complicated crimes. According to him, the center is crucial to fighting crimes in the region and boosting cross-national police collaborations in fighting organized crimes.
EFP’s current institutional capability is a testimony to the effectiveness of SSR in establishing a foundation for building institutions suited to the nation’s needs. SSR helped EFP and other security institutions to own the latest technological advancements and build strong and modern institutions.
The modern technologies incorporated in the policing sector enhance the efficiency of the police services. EFP is on building a robust police institution that can effectively respond to the challenges of modern policing, including in fighting technology-based crimes.
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 13 DECEMBER 2024
