Georges Elanga Obam: New Régulation for Cameroun Police Municipale

• Minister Georges Elanga Obam issued a circular to tighten regulations on municipal police in Cameroon.
• The directive prohibits municipal police from using excessive force, operating without uniforms, or lacking mission letters.
• Municipal police are explicitly forbidden from acting as substitutes for national law enforcement or using coercion on persons or property.
• Mayors must now request national law enforcement assistance for municipal police interventions on public roads.
• Non-compliance with these new rules will result in sanctions for municipal authorities.

Crucially, the directive prohibits municipal police agents from employing force or coercion against individuals or their property.

Georges Elanga Obam, serving as the Minister of Decentralization and Local Development in Cameroon (ministre Décentralisation Cameroun), has issued a significant circular letter to prefects, city mayors, and other municipal leaders. This directive aims to impose stricter controls on the deployment and oversight of municipal police agents throughout the nation. The minister's action signals a definitive end to certain problematic practices that have characterized the operations of these local forces.

The circular specifically targets municipal police agents who have engaged in overzealous deployments in public areas, including streets. It also addresses the issue of officers operating without proper uniforms, a practice now explicitly prohibited. Furthermore, the directive seeks to halt instances where municipal police have resorted to excessive force, leading to public disturbances, traffic incidents, or physical and moral harm to road users, particularly motorcycle operators. This intervention by Minister Elanga Obam underscores a commitment to reforming the conduct of municipal police in Cameroon.

The new regulations introduced by Minister Georges Elanga Obam significantly restrict the operational scope and powers of municipal police (pouvoirs police municipale Cameroun). A key mandate is the cessation of deployments by agents who lack a formal mission letter, emphasizing adherence to established legal frameworks. The circular explicitly states that municipal police forces are not authorized to act as substitutes for national law enforcement and security agencies. This clarification delineates their role, preventing them from overstepping into responsibilities reserved for state-level forces.

Crucially, the directive prohibits municipal police agents from employing force or coercion against individuals or their property. This measure directly addresses concerns regarding the abuse of authority (police municipale Cameroun abus) and aims to prevent further incidents of violence attributed to this professional body. The deployment and execution of duties by these agents are now subject to a more robust regulatory framework, marking a significant shift in the oversight of local policing. The lettre circulaire police municipale Cameroun thus establishes clear boundaries for their operations.

Minister Elanga Obam's circular (réglementation police municipale Cameroun) emphasizes that compliance with these newly reinforced measures is mandatory and non-negotiable, with potential sanctions for non-adherence. A critical procedural change dictates that for any intervention on public roads, mayors must formally request the support of national law enforcement agencies from the territorially competent administrative authority. This requirement ensures that municipal police operations in high-visibility or potentially sensitive areas are conducted under the supervision and assistance of state security forces, thereby enhancing accountability and preventing unauthorized actions.

This comprehensive approach to Cameroun police municipale régulation aims to restore public trust and ensure that municipal police operate strictly within their defined mandate. By clarifying their limitations and requiring collaboration with national forces, the Ministry of Decentralization and Local Development seeks to eliminate the past abuses and ensure that municipal police contribute positively to local order without infringing upon citizens' rights or exceeding their legal authority. The directive represents a concerted effort to professionalize and control local policing activities across Cameroon.

This circular from Minister Elanga Obam restricts the powers and deployment of municipal police in Cameroon. Lawyers should advise clients on these new limitations, particularly regarding the requirement for uniform, mission letters, and the prohibition of excessive force, which may provide grounds to challenge unlawful actions by municipal police or inform clients' rights during encounters.

Source: Original reporting via local Cameroonian media.