- Four in 10 Gambians (41%) say the police “often” or “always” stop drivers without good reason, in addition to 37% who say they “sometimes” do so (Figure 1).
- Around one-third of citizens say the police routinely use excessive force in dealing with protesters (36%) and criminal suspects (33%), while 20% say they frequently engage in criminal activities. Only minorities (20%-31%) think the police are never guilty of these abuses.
- Only three in 10 (29%) say the police “often” or “always” act professionally and respect all citizens’ rights (Figure 2).
- Six in 10 citizens (61%) say the police are “never justified” in using force in managing protests (Figure 3).
- A majority (56%) of Gambians say the police at least “sometimes” discriminate against citizens based on people’s political affiliation (Figure 4).
Only a minority of Gambians think their police consistently act in a professional manner, while many say officers stop drivers without good reason, use excessive force, and engage in criminal activities, the latest Afrobarometer survey shows.
More than half of respondents also complain that the police discriminate against citizens based on their political affiliation.
A majority of Gambians say the police are never justified in using force to try to impose order during public protests.
Since 2017, the government has sought to strengthen police professionalism as part of its security sector reform process.
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