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By Dawda Baldeh
When Pierre T. Mendy first joined the Gambia Police Force, his goal was simply to serve his country on the streets. Today, the Head of the Environmental Protection Unit and Safety Officer in Banjul has emerged as one of The Gambia’s most promising marine science scholars, bridging law enforcement, environmental governance, and international research to protect coastal ecosystems and champion sustainable fisheries.
Born in the village of Sifoe Lemunamesseng in Kombo South, Mendy never imagined his career would take him from enforcing the law in local communities to conducting marine research in Italy and Spain.
“I joined the Gambia Police Force to serve and protect my country, but over time I realised that protecting communities also means protecting the environment they depend on,” Mendy said.
Driven by the belief that environmental protection should be an integral part of national security and community well-being, Mendy pursued higher education alongside his police duties. He graduated with Distinction in an Advanced Diploma in Science and Agriculture from Gambia College in 2019, before earning a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences with Magna Cum Laude honours from the University of The Gambia in 2023.
During his undergraduate studies, Mendy developed a focus on coastal ecosystems. His thesis, “Local Ecological Knowledge and Sustainable Fishing in The Gambia,” investigated how indigenous fishing insights in Gunjur could complement formal scientific methods.
“The research taught me that scientific knowledge and local community knowledge are not competitors,” he explained. “Fisherfolk possess generations of ecological knowledge that should be recognised and incorporated into sustainable fisheries governance.”
Mendy expanded his academic horizon by enrolling at the University of Padova in Italy to pursue a Master of Science in Marine Biology, specialising in marine conservation, biodiversity, fisheries sustainability, ecological modelling, climate adaptation, and environmental governance. His academic performance also secured him an Erasmus+ research internship at the Future Oceans Lab at the University of Vigo in Spain. Working alongside leading international researchers under Professor Elena Ojea, he focused on climate adaptation, fisheries governance, and coastal resilience.
“Studying in Italy and conducting research in Spain exposed me to global environmental challenges, but it also strengthened my commitment to applying that knowledge back home in The Gambia,” he said.
Despite his international academic work, Mendy remains deeply committed to his role in law enforcement. As Head of the Environmental Protection Unit, he works on environmental crime prevention, compliance monitoring, community awareness, and inter-agency collaboration. One of his key institutional achievements was helping establish an Environmental Protection Unit station at the National Environment Agency (NEA) to strengthen cooperation between law enforcement and environmental authorities.
“Environmental protection cannot rely on scientific research alone,” he noted. “It requires effective enforcement, strong institutions, community participation and policies that work on the ground.”
Mendy’s ongoing master’s research continues to build on how traditional ecological knowledge can inform sustainable fisheries, climate adaptation, and community resilience in West Africa.
“If we want sustainable fisheries, we must listen to the people who have depended on these resources for generations while also supporting their knowledge with scientific evidence,” he said.
Looking to the future, Mendy aims to shape evidence-based environmental and fisheries policies across The Gambia and the wider West African region, working at the intersection of marine science, governance, conservation, and sustainable resource management.
“Our environmental challenges are connected to livelihoods, food security, climate change, governance and community resilience,” he said. “Solving them requires scientists, government institutions, law enforcement agencies, policymakers and local communities to work together.”
Reflecting on his journey from Kombo South to European research laboratories, Mendy hopes his story inspires young Gambians to use education in service of their communities.
“My journey has never been about collecting qualifications,” he said. “It has been about acquiring knowledge that can solve real environmental problems and contribute to national development. Where you come from should never determine how far you can go. But wherever you go, never forget the people and communities you hope your work will benefit.”
