| Agencyname: | Somaliland Police Force |
| Nativename: | Ciidanka Bileyska Somaliland قوات الشرطة صوماليلاندي |
| Formedyear: | 1993 |
| Employees: | 22,000 |
| Budget: | $20 Million |
| Country: | Somaliland |
| Logocaption: | Logo of the Somaliland Police |
| Flag: | Flag of the Somaliland Police Force.svg |
| Flagcaption: | Flag of the Somaliland Police Force |
| Map: | Somaliland districts.svg |
| Divtype: | Region |
| Governingbody: | Government of Somaliland |
| Police: | Yes |
| Local: | Yes |
| Headquarters: | Hargeisa, Somaliland |
| Sworn: | Unknown |
| Chief1name: | Mohamed Adan Saqadhi |
| Chief1position: | Brigadier General |
| Unitname: | Special Protection Unit (SPU) Rapid Reaction Unit (RRU)Somaliland Road Safety Force (SRSF)Somaliland Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) |
| Officetype: | District |
The Somaliland Police, officially the Somaliland Police Force (Somali: Ciidanka Booliska Somaliland, Arabic: قوات الشرطة صوماليلاندي) is a body responsible for law enforcement in the Republic of Somaliland.
The Somaliland Police Force was established during the British colonial period and was responsible for the internal security of the Somaliland Protectorate. They also handled permits and permits such as identity cards and passports.
The Somaliland Police falls under the Minister of Interior. It also works closely with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the military. The force was founded in 1993 out of the Somali National Movement (SNM) who liberated the country from the dictator Siyaad Bare's regime of Somalia after the long and bloody Somaliland War of Independence.[1] It is divided according to each of Somaliland's administrative regions: Maroodi Jeex, Sahil, Awdal, Togdheer, Sanaag and Sool. Each region has a police commandant and commissioned officers. The police are tasked with carrying out criminal investigation, patrolling, and traffic management. There is also a small number of anti-riot personnel. In addition, a British-trained Special Protection Unit (SPU) is tasked with the protection of leaders and foreign dignitaries.[2] In 2005, the armed forces and the police received 15 percent of the Somaliland budget. Most of this money went to salaries and allowances.[3]
The US State Department's 2010 Human Rights Reports in Somalia observed that the Somaliland Police were firmly under civilian control, had not committed any unlawful killings (including demonstrators), were not conducting arbitrarily or politically motivated arrests, and were not committing torture or rape (but were also not taking direction action against people who were). The report noted that the prisons were improving, due to UN supervision. Half of the 765 prisoners in Mandera Prison were detained on the orders of regional or district security committees.[4]
The Somaliland Police commissioner is General Mohamed Adan Saqadhi.[5] He replaced Abdillahi Fadal Iman.[6] The Deputy Police Commissioner of Somaliland is Abdirahman Liban.[7]
As of 2003, there were eight police stations and 24 police posts in Hargeisa.[8]
Since at least 2010, the UNDP has been working on reforming and training the Somaliland police force. In 2010 they were also making an effort to align/merge the maritime police with the civilian police.[13]
Since December 2021 the UK government has been funding the Somaliland Security Programme, which includes developing the Police capability in strategic planning, public order, counter-terrorism and joint operations.[14]
Due to lack of funds and an arms embargo on Somalia as a whole, the guns used by the Somaliland Police belong to the individual soldiers themselves. Before joining the army, both former combatants and new recruits, are required to report for an recruitment process with their guns. A similar process is observed in other disciplined forces, including the police.[15]
Mandera Academy.[16]
| Abdillahi Fadal Iman | 1993 | 2019 |
| Mohamed Adan Saqadhi | 2019 | |
| Weapon | Origin | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifle | ||||
| AK-47 | Soviet Union | Imported from Ethiopia and Yemen | ||
| AKM | Soviet Union | Imported from Ethiopia and Yemen | ||
| AK-74 | Soviet Union | Imported from Ethiopia and Yemen | ||
| AK-74M | Soviet Union | Somaliland modernised version of the AK | ||
| AK-103 | Russia | Imported from Ethiopia | ||
| FN FAL | Belgium | Current origins of this weapon is unknown | ||
| M16A1 | United States | Current origins of this weapon is unknown | ||
| Sidearm | ||||
| Skorpion vz. 61 | Czechoslovak | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
| TT Pistol | Soviet Union | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
| Sniper Rifle | ||||
| Dragunov Sniper Rifle | Soviet Union | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
| Machine Gun | ||||
| PK | Soviet Union | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
| DShK | Soviet Union | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
| NSV | Soviet Union | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
| RPK-74 | Soviet Union | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
| Anti Tank Weapons | ||||
| RPG-7 | Soviet Union | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
| Drill Purpose Rifles | ||||
| SKS | Soviet Union | Seized after the Somaliland War of Independence | ||
See main article: Military ranks of Somaliland.