A man named Melvin D. Swen has been arrested for impersonating an officer of the Liberia National Police (LNP). According to DCP Cecelia G. Clark, the spokesperson for the LNP, Swen was at his usual location at Vamoma Junction when he was struck by a vehicle and rushed to JFK Hospital for medical treatment while wearing a police uniform. However, it was later revealed that Swen is not an actual police officer.
In an interview at the hospital on August 18, 2025, Swen admitted to purchasing the police uniform and ID card from the notorious Liberia World Trade Centre in Monrovia. He had been impersonating as a police officer since March 2025. “I am not assigned to any checkpoints, but I was crossing the street when I was accidentally hit by a speeding vehicle,” Swen stated. He expressed a long-standing desire to become an officer but was denied entry during the recruitment process, despite having paid someone within the police force, which left him feeling disappointed.
The 36-year-old imposter, identified with ID #4697, told investigators that he bought the badge, seal, and uniform from a store in Monrovia but could not remember its location. Swen urged others not to impersonate police officers and to follow the proper procedures for joining the force, as he feels this has brought disgrace to himself and his family.
“I don’t have an assigned area, but I’m often on the road enforcing the law, just like other police officers. I usually engage drivers and ask to see their vehicle documents and licenses. If their documents are not in order, I typically instruct them to park their vehicles,” he noted. Meanwhile, Police Spokeswoman Clark stated that despite Swen being a victim in this incident, he will face prosecution after the doctor submits his medical report to the LNP.
