Bombs and Ombs II
Sri
Lankan Police has a vision to work towards a ‘peaceful environment’ and
it is ‘committed to uphold and enforce law and order of the land’.
During the British reign, Governor Fredrick North entrusted the
magistrates and Police Judges with the task of supervising the Police in
1797; Police functions became clearly defined in 1805.
On September 3,1866, Governor Fredrick North appointed G. W. R.
Campbell as the Superintendant of Police. Ordinance No.16 of 1865 was
modified in 1867 to change the Chief Superintendant’s designation to
Inspector-General of Police; Lokubanda Dunuwila, the Disawa of Uva,
created history in becoming the first Sri Lankan Superintendant of
Police for Kandy later. Sir Richard Aluvihare assumed duties as the
Inspector General of Police on June 1, 1947, and transformed the Police
into a Police Service.
Today the Police are ‘committed to serve peoples’ needs primarily’
and its principal goal is to show friendship and mutual support to the
public. In such a backdrop, cordial investigations and common goodwill
and understanding will prevail in developing a healthy relationship
between the Police and the community.
Public service of this nature is an arduous task where both bouquets
and brickbats are to be expected. A policeman, on the other hand, is not
a big cheese descending from above but a human being who is subjected to
numerous human frailties, as much as pressures, while in uniform.
Periodically Sri Lankan Police has brought out officers full of
character and charisma. Recently I came across a retired SSP, Bandula
Senewiratne, who has also been a freelance writer and who appears to
call spade a spade. He has published two books in his retirement
focusing on a variety of subjects viewing through ‘civil’ eyes and in
‘police uniform’.
Bombs and ombs
Bandula Senewiratne’s second paperback, ‘Bombs and Ombs II’ is full
of interesting episodes and anecdotes which are hilarious, caustic,
razor sharp and equally objective. He describes his late colleague DIG
A.C.A. Gafoor (Gaffor Kakka) as an “enormous police officer this side of
Suez,”’ and how Gafoor was designated (during his
sub-inspector/Inspector days) to track protestors, rioters and
university students alike.
The episode on Elvitigala Mawatha Kola Kenda man involving Police and
a powerful minister is somewhat acerbic when he questions at the end of
the anecdote: “Are the Police now taking orders from nincompoops
performing the duties of hangers on the ‘yes’ men”?
The chapter on ‘Passing the Buck’ refers to a banner headline of the
Island Newspaper on January15, 2004 - “Assault on Bulathsinhala
Divisional Secy. Police to seek A.G’s advice”
Here, in a rather eye opening approach Senewiratne highlights how a
‘straightforward complainant against a politician for assault’, which
constituted a prima facie case against the accused with witnesses
recorded in the Police Book should have been left for the courts to
decide. While admitting that to record a statement from a
parliamentarian, the Police has to first obtain permission from the
Speaker of the Parliament, he argues in the same breath whether the
public who elect MPs to office by using their franchise are not entitled
to know the answers to their complaints!
The Chapter on ‘Police promotions’ refers to IGP Rudra Rajasingham
and Circular No.SE/B7/78/ of 24.02.1978) wherein it states: “Our duty by
our subordinates must be kept in mind and they should not be made to
suffer in their promotions, for no fault of theirs”. This refers to a
case of two ASPs who had been victimised and lost their promotions as a
result.
The Chapter on ‘Shape’ Silva is somewhat witty and of essence and
says with particular reference to Silva’s adaptation of ‘shaping’
techniques how he earned the nickname ‘Shape Silva’.
Gone are the days
During late ‘50s and early 1960s schools adopted the English medium
and the Police Department had preeminent officers who knew their onions
with a copious knowledge of the English language. The Sub-Inspector of
Police was a prestigious rank at the time where all applicants had to
pass the Senior School Certificate (SSC) English examination with
English as a subject. With regard to physical requirements, the chest
measurement had to be of a certain girth (deflated) and any applicant
fell short of that requirement, even by an inch, was rejected.
At the final stages of recruitment all applicants were asked to write
an essay in English and the topics were chosen by the Director of
Training. Marking of essays were done immediately and results announced.
The successful candidates were asked to attend a final interview and the
cream of the country’s young men from above 20 years of age was selected
for training. Senewiratne quotes two applicants who had wanted to join
the Police when admission requirements were very stringent.
One had been an inch shorter than the required height and had
approached the Director of Training, with a letter from a big wheel to
influence the Director, who had instantly requested the applicant to
drop it onto the floor, stand on it and to see whether he gained the
required inch…! On another occasion, an applicant whose chest
measurement fell below par had been requested to expand his chest by
physical exercises.
A few weeks later when the Director confronted the applicant and
asked whether his chest had expanded, the young man had apparently
quipped: “ No Sir, the chest has not expanded but other things have”…..!
The Director did not tolerate any nonsense, the author says.
On a general topic of midnight mass on Christmas eve, he expresses
his disgust on fashion parades by women, especially those in sari
showing their low cut jackets with deep necklines exposing their bustier
and turned the religious observation into a fashion parade and nattily
dressed men who are intoxicated with liquor and makes a humble appeal
not to tarnish the image of Christians and the Church.
‘Bombs and Ombs’ consisting 39 interesting occurrences and anecdotes
can be read in one breath.
It will especially appeal to those ‘old school’ type of police
officers who were associated with legends, such as, IP Thedias, JSR de
Siva, Rahula Silva, Walter Liyange, VCD Batepola, Karawitage Dharmadasa,
ACA Gafoor, IP Thavaraja, IP Kumara, Roy Gunawardena etc during Bandula
Senewiratne’s time .
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