A recent UNMIL press briefing posted online highlights the Liberia National Police/UNPOL “Public Affairs Safety Tips.” The first ones are Liberia-appropriate:

• People should not get into dark corners all alone.
• Another sure tip is to avoid keeping out late at nights. You are inviting trouble if you keep out late at night. The most dangerous is at dark places.
• Keep house or surrounding lit at night.

Then, as you go further down the list, it appears that someone did some copy-and-pasting:

• Keep at least one fire extinguisher on each floor, and be sure to keep one in the kitchen. Show family members and household on how to use them.
• Periodically check smoke detectors and replace batteries when necessary.
• Keep flashlights in several areas in the house. Check the batteries often, especially if you have children in your home. (They love to play with flashlights!)
• A family dog can be a deterrent to criminals. But remember, even the best watch-dog can be controlled by food or poison. Do not install separate “doggy doors” or entrances. They also can admit small intruders.

Fire extinguishers? Smoke detectors? Flashlights? Family dogs? Doggy doors? Are we talking about Liberia? I don’t think I saw a single fire extinguisher or doggy door during my ten months in the country.

And then, a little further down, my favorite:

• If you observe any unusual activity, report it immediately to your RSO.

RSO, or Resident Security Officer, is a term I usually associate with US Embassies. Maybe UNMIL uses that term too, but I don’t think they do. And I highly doubt any Liberians have access to a RSO.