The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has launched a formal recruitment drive to integrate over 200 long-serving volunteer auxiliary agents into its official payroll, marking a significant step toward professionalising the agency’s workforce after more than a decade of informal service.
Since July 2025, LDEA has invited auxiliaries who have supported its drug enforcement operations without formal employment status to apply for official positions. Candidates were required to submit academic certificates, police clearances, and complete application forms as part of the initial screening.
Following document verification, applicants undertook aptitude tests, with results posted publicly at the LDEA headquarters. Those who passed were then referred to the National Police Training Academy in Paynesville for physical fitness assessments, the results of which were announced on July 28.
Successful candidates will proceed to final recruitment stages, culminating in official induction and placement on the government payroll as full-time agents. The recruitment is part of efforts to strengthen LDEA’s capacity and formally recognise the contributions of auxiliary agents who have often worked without pay or benefits.
While many welcome the move as a long-overdue formalisation, some applicants and observers express frustration over the prolonged use of unpaid auxiliaries, citing cases of misconduct driven by financial hardship. One anonymous LDEA officer described the current recruitment of 200 volunteers as a positive “step in the right direction” amidst public criticism of the number being too small.
“The agency has consulted on multiple recruitment exercises before, but due to limited resources, auxiliaries remained unpaid,” the officer said. “If recruitment had been consistent, we wouldn’t have so many people still waiting.”
He traced the recruitment gaps back to previous administrations, recalling that during the late LDEA Director Marcus Zehyoue’s tenure, annual recruitment plans were halted after his death from COVID-19. Under the current leadership, the agency is gradually addressing the backlog, selecting 200 volunteers for this round with plans to recruit more in the future.
LDEA’s Public Relations Officer Olando Demey confirmed the recruitment process is ongoing in phases, combining internal recruitment of long-term auxiliaries and external applications from the public. Due to security concerns, Demey declined to disclose the total number of applicants.
He explained that initial screening eliminated candidates who failed to meet basic requirements, followed by physical fitness tests and now moving to evaluations and interviews. Those who pass the final stage will join the LDEA training academy and, upon graduation, be formally integrated into the agency.
On July 29, applicants reported to the Sinkor headquarters to receive test numbers as part of the continuing recruitment exercise.
This recruitment drive signals Liberia’s renewed commitment to formalising and strengthening its drug enforcement capabilities, addressing long-standing challenges faced by auxiliary agents who have risked their safety in unpaid roles.
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