Cestos City, Rivercess County – The arrival of three brand new motorbikes for the River Cess Detachment of the Liberia National Police (LNP) is being viewed as a major step toward improving emergency response and public safety in one of Liberia’s most geographically challenged counties.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elton Gofa confirmed the receipt of the motorbikes, describing them as timely and critical to strengthening police presence, especially in remote communities that have long struggled with delayed law enforcement response.
According to ACP Gofa, the motorbikes were delivered by the LNP Central Administration and arrived in Cestos City on Saturday, January 24. The bikes increase the total number of motorbikes assigned to the county from three to six, marking the first significant improvement in police mobility in nearly a year.
He explained that when he assumed leadership of the River Cess Detachment, the command had only three aging motorbikes, two donated by the national government and one provided through the County Development Fund (CDF). These were barely sufficient to cover the vast and difficult terrain of the county.
With the additional bikes, the LNP plans to deploy officers to hard-to-reach areas such as Boegeezay Depot in Monweh, Sand Beach Depot in Kploh, and other isolated communities. This move is expected to drastically reduce response time to incidents, particularly in areas where residents previously waited hours or even days for police intervention.
ACP Gofa noted that in the past, officers were forced to rely on personal funds and private transportation to reach crime scenes, a situation that undermined effective policing and exposed officers to unnecessary risks.
While welcoming the new development, the police commander emphasized that motorbikes alone cannot fully meet the security needs of the county. He renewed his call on the national government to assign a patrol vehicle to River Cess, stressing that transporting suspects on motorbikes is unsafe and unprofessional.
The last time River Cess had a functional police vehicle was in 2019, under former Commander Fasu V. Sheriff. Since then, law enforcement operations have depended largely on motorbikes and foot patrols.
Security analysts point out that the situation is even more critical given that all three joint security agencies in the county – the LNP, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), and Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) – currently operate without a single official vehicle.
For residents, the new motorbikes symbolize renewed hope for improved security, faster emergency response, and stronger law enforcement presence across River Cess County. However, many agree that lasting progress will only come when the government provides comprehensive logistical support, including vehicles and other essential resources.
