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by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE

In keeping with the government's policy of re-structuring the police department, the Interior Ministry has devised a plan to upgrade several police stations including the Bambalapitiya police station, which will be the first model police station to be inaugurated by the Interior Minister, John Amaratunga on July 31.

An Interior Ministry spokesmen told the "Sunday Observer" that the Bambalapitiya police station has been given a complete facelift and provided with new furniture such as computers, fax machines etc by private sector to make matters easier for the general public to have their complaints etc., recorded. Meanwhile, Maharagama and Kandana police stations have also been earmarked as model police stations.

The spokesmen said additional women policemen have been assigned to the Bambalapitiya police station to record complaints from women who call over there. Previously these complaints were recorded by policemen. At present several police stations do not have adequate facilities such as tables and chairs for policemen to record statements.

Mr. Mihindu Keerthiratne, an advisory committee member of the Interior Ministry said that a special training program for policemen on public relations has been arranged through an international organisation to cultivate better relationship with the public. Interior Ministry Advisor, Mr. M. Somasundaram said the bottom line of the whole exercise will be to serve the public and to foster a cordial relationship. The public perception of the police has to be changed as many fear to step into a police station to get their legitimate business done.

He said interior minister John Amaratunga undertook to review the role of the police in the post peace environment. However the problem facing the minister was changing the attitude of policemen whose busy schedule makes them less courteous to the public. Meanwhile the Advisory Committee has recommended to the Interior Ministry to upgrade several police stations with E-mail facilities and computers, with assistance from the private sector to make police stations more accessible to the general public. Initially around 150 policemen will undergo a training course on public relationship provided by a non governmental organisation.

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