Tactical Mapping in Liberia

We contacted Cecil Griffiths (left, pictured with CVT Liberia’s Dove Presnall), who used the Tactical Map in a Training of Trainers (ToT) program that is helping to build a coalition of civil society organizations in Liberia. We asked him about his experience conducting tactical mapping workshops.

Twelve persons participated in the ToT (which included two mapping workshops): eight from civil society organizations, two from security institutions (the Police and the University Security agency), and two from the Center for Criminal Justice Research and Education. This group found the tactical mapping tool a particularly useful resource. The target issue for the mapping process was "What can be done to reduce Mob Justice in Liberia?" One of the participants is uniquely positioned to instigate interventions arising out of the findings of the tactical mapping process. Peter Zaizay (below), Commandant of the Police Academy and former Director of Press and Public Affairs for the Police may advocate for the development of effective community structures such as neighborhood watch teams in addition to the community police forums, as a means of curbing mob justice. The participants will be involved in facilitating further workshops workshops. Cecil also related that the process was not easy: a first run through did not yield all of the relevant relationships, but further use of mapping documents helped to facilitate the process.

A brainstorming session with trainees