11 November 2009 - The first Regional Workshop of the Local Policing Partnership Boards (LPPB), organized by UNIPSIL's United Nations Police (UNPOL), was held 11 and 12 November 2009 in Bo. The two day training and capacity building workshop was officially opened on 11 November by the Deputy ayor of Bo City council, Mr. Joe Pyne.

The workshop was organized to strengthen the bond of friendship, trust and respect in a healthy Police/Community relationship for effective policing in Sierra Leone. A total of 105 participants (43 Sierra Leone Police - SLP and 62 Local Policing Partnership Board - LPPB members) and 7 facilitators took part in the workshop, which brought together a non partisan, inter-religious, social integration development group consisting of Paramount Chiefs, religious leaders, journalists, women representatives, youth representatives and SLP personnel from all the six Police Divisions in the Southern Province.

Some of the various topics discussed at the workshop include:

1. Police and community as partners in Law enforcement.
2. Community Leadership.
3. Community Police Cooperation in Maintenance of peace and Responsibilities of LPPB.
4. Community Expectations of police in promoting Peace and Development in Sierra Leone.
5. The SLP 2009-2011 Strategic Development Plan.
6. The SLP Gender Mainstreaming, sexual Harassment and sexual Abuse policies.
7. LPPB Constitution- guidelines and code of conduct for operation.

Similar workshops will be held:

• in Kenema from 25-26 November 2009,
• in Makeni from 03-04 December 2009 and
• in Freetown from 10-11 December 2009 respectively.