By: Ben T. C. Brooks
The newly assigned County Commander of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency – LDEA, River Gee detachment Special Agent Bill M. Cooper Jr., has voiced serious concern over the agency’s limited logistical support and acute manpower shortages, describing them as key impediments to the agency’s operations in the county.
Speaking as a guest on Voice of River Gee 91.1 FM, a community radio station in Fish-Town, Commander Cooper said the LDEA detachment in River Gee currently has no operational motorcycle or vehicle, a situation he termed “a major setback” for a law enforcement institution tasked with combating the growing drug menace in the county.
“We have no motorbike for operation in the county, but that will not stop our efforts in tracking drug dealers and users,” Commander Cooper assured.
Despite these constraints, he affirmed that his team remains dedicated to its mandate and will continue to pursue suspected drug dealers, peddlers, and users across River Gee.
The LDEA Commander further revealed that the shortage of personnel has affected the agency’s presence in several key areas of the county, including Kaytiebo River Gbeh, Glarro administrative district, and other densely populated communities.
He, however, disclosed that the LDEA has begun recruiting and screening volunteer officers from within River Gee County to help strengthen the local anti-drug task force.
“Once vetted and trained, these volunteers will be deployed across the county to support enforcement efforts and expand the agency’s operational reach.
In a stern message to his colleagues within the broader security sector, Commander Cooper cautioned officers against any involvement in drug use or trafficking, warning that the LDEA will not hesitate to take action against anyone caught in violation of the law.
“Any security officer caught in the web of drug trading or smoking will face prosecution. There will be no compromise, regardless of their position or status,” he warned.
Commander Cooper also disclosed that within a few weeks of his assumption of office, his team had arrested five individuals suspected of drug-related offenses. The suspects, he said, have already been forwarded to court for prosecution in accordance with the law.
He used the occasion to appeal to the LDEA’s interim national leadership to extend the agency’s drug testing and screening programs to River Gee County, stressing that such an initiative would help ensure discipline, transparency, and accountability among officers.
Reaffirming his unwavering commitment to fighting the illicit drug trade, the LDEA County Commander promised to work closely with community leaders, youth groups, and other security agencies to protect the county’s future generation from the destructive impact of drugs.
Meanwhile, several River Gee residents who phoned in during the radio discussion commended Commander Cooper for his determination but also called on the LDEA to intensify its operations.
Many expressed frustration over the growing number of young people affected by substance abuse, urging the agency to “double up” its efforts to rescue what they described as the county’s “damaged youth.”
“Our children are being destroyed by drugs,” one caller lamented. “We want the LDEA to be stronger on the ground to save them before it’s too late.”
As River Gee continues to battle rising drug use among its youth, the commitment of the LDEA under Commander Cooper’s leadership is expected to play a critical role in the county’s ongoing fight against narcotics.
