Field promotions for Senior Chief Inspectors willing to serve in operational areas

COLOMBO: Senior Chief Inspectors willing to serve in operational areas will be given field promotions, the National Police Commission said.

This was decided when IGP Victor Perera brought to the commission’s notice that many ASPPs in operational areas who have completed their term cannot be transferred due to ASPp shortage.

The National Police Commission which met on Wednesday inquired from the IGP the position with regard to recent incidents of police assaults in Kataragama and Hambantota.

With regard to the incident at Mayurapura in Hambantota, IGP Perera said 450 allottees had been selected by the Mahaweli Authority from the displaced due to development work of the area and when the Mahaweli Authority fixed a date and tried to allocate these lands there were protests.

The protestors had blocked the road and had threatened to kill the Mahaweli Authority Block Manager. Police had warned them to disperse but inspite of the Police warning, the unruly crowd had forcibly entered the Mahaweli Authority premises damaging the main gate and had started to damage the window panes of the office.

At this stage, Police had used minimum force to prevent this and to disperse the crowd to safeguard public property and lives of Mahaweli Authority staff.

Perera emphasised that so far not a single victim of this incident had made a statement to police and requested victims make statements to police.

He stated that if any victim is reluctant to make the statement at Hambantota Police Station, he could do so to the ASP Hambantota or SSP Tangalle. Police upto now has been unable to find any person injured due to the incident. The IGP also said investigations were proceeding.

With regard to the incident at Kataragama, IGP Perera revealed that the Constable had been interdicted and a Buddhist monk and a journalist had given statements but so far no victim had given a statement. He appealed to victims to make a statement.

As measures to improve police - public relations IGP Perera plans, changes in the procedures adopted at Police Stations relating to matters concerning the public. He mentioned that one such will be recording of public complaints.

The National Police Commission expressed concern about incidents of harassment faced by lawyers who represent their clients at some Police Stations.

The IGP agreed on the necessity to conduct some awareness programmes on circulars already issued on this matter. He also informed that several workshops have been held with Magistrates and Lawyers in several districts to improve co-operation between them.

The IGP revealed that he had noted a low rate of conviction of cases filed by Police; the reason being the ASPp and OICc personally not attending courts and steps will be taken to rectify this situation.

At the request of the National Police Commission a seniority list of Chief Inspectors of Police numbering 998 has been prepared by the Police Department and will be circulated among all SSP Divisions giving two weeks for any objections, appeals or observations to be made to the IGP.

National Police Commission Chairman Neville Piyadigama chaired the meeting.

Promotions for 1,950 police personnel

COLOMBO: One thousand nine hundred and fifty police personnel were awarded promotions by Inspector General of Police Victor Perera on Thursday.

These promotions approved by the Police Commission were awarded on a directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. This is the second instance police promotions were granted since President Rajapaksa assumed duties as President in December 2005.

Six hundred and eighty female police constables and 1,270 police constables were promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

Since January 1, 2006, over 5,000 police promotions have been awarded. On a Presidential directive, police personnel from the reserves were also integrated into the police regular force.

Arrangements have been made to recruit more personnel into the police service to fill vacancies following the promotions.