22/02/2026
You what Presidency can do.. Read
Pres. Boakai should reinstate former police spokesperson Cecelia G. Clarke. Her rights were violated, and here’s how
Martin K. N. Kollie write ooo
Somone has to tell the Police IG Gregory Coleman that this decision to suddenly relieve and transfer madam Clarke was/is wrong. Permit us to do so with all of our facts as attached.
1) On May 1, 2024, history was made as the Republic celebrated the first female police spokesperson after 68 years of its establishment. Madam Cecelia G. Clarke was commissioned as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) and Head of Press and Public Division (7058) after a thorough vetting and selection process. Since then, she’s done an incredibly phenomenal job in this role. Did she commit any crime? No. Did she break any law? No.
2) On February 17, 2026, DCP Clarke was relieved of her post as police spokesperson and transferred or reassigned on the instructions of Police Director Gregory Coleman.
3) Now, what does the law say about the transfer or reassignment of commissioned officers and non-commissioned officers?
4) The Liberia National Police Act of 2026, specifically Section 22.88(b)(iv), page 27, states, “…For commissioned officers, the majority of the Directorate including the IG for Police shall make the determination to transfer. For Non-Commissioned Officers, the IG of police shall have the power to transfer.” Our proof is attached.
5) So, the transfer of a commissioned officer is not a unilaterally as specified in section 22.88. Was madam Clarke a commissioned officer? Yes, Deputy Commissioner of Police.
6) Unfortunately, there’s no evidence or record of the majority of the Directorate of Police taking a decision to transfer DCP Clarke. Even the letter to have relieved madam Clarke did not mention any decision taken by the Directorate.
7) What is the Directorate and what is its composition? As attached and inscribed Section 22.75, the Directorate consists of five (5) positions, namely: IGP, DIGPA, DIGPO, DIGPTMD, and DIGPCS. So, we ask, on what basis was madam Clarke relieved or reassigned when the law is crystal clear?
8)Our second argument is that Section 66.14 of the 1972 Executive Law of Liberia makes the Civil Service Agency Act applicable to law enforcement and security officers because they are considered civil servants. The specific law cited is attached as our proof. Hence, the decision by Police IG Gregory Coleman ignored Section 3.4.9 (Transfer) of the 2012 Civil service Standing Order. To have even relieved/dismissed her effective immediately (the same day, Feb. 17) is a violation of Chapter 4 Section 2.2.
9) DCP Clarke kept raising the alarm about being undermined, but the IG of Police Gregory Coleman and almost every internal mechanism ignored her concerns. On Sunday, December 21, 2025, DCP Clarke wrote again on her page, raising the red flag, as attached, “The LNP has one spokesperson and that mandate is my office to uphold. Stop the undermining, misrepresentation, and stereotyping that you are noted for. My silence is not stupidity.”
Even when she spoke out, no one listened. This discourages female participation in the force, and could be interpreted as discrimination amid a male-dominated force.
Before she could resign, the procedures and circumstances surrounding her relieve and subsequent transfer are legally and administratively problematic. It appears to be ‘purge’. Her rights were violated. This gives the LNP a bad image. According to a report on the website of the LNP, males in the force constitute 3,568 (80.5%) while females constitute 864 (19.5%). Instead of encouraging more females to join the force, a bad precedent is being set.
This is why we call on Pres. Boakai to intervene and reinstate madam Cecelia Clarke. Don’t get us wrong. Sam Collins is also a great guy. But the circumstances leading to the relieve and sudden transfer of Clarke is not just a cause for concern, but it calls for an independent investigation.
About The Author: Martin K. N. Kollie is a Liberian activist in exile.
