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| Sunday, 11 January 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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New crime detection programme in the offing by Don Asoka Wijewardena Crime in Sri Lanka,like in other countries,has become a complex problem, apart from traditional crimes such as murder, housebreaking, rape, theft and extortion, economic crimes involving highly advanced technology has begun to spread to every nook and corner in the country. These include "white collar crimes" like printing of forged currency notes, forged passports and visas, cheating, misappropriation of funds, child abuse and cyber crimes like both child and adult pornography as a result of the proliferation of internet facilities. The Police which has shouldered a stupendous responsibility for the security of the country has three important functions to perform. Basically, these include: prevention of crime, detection of crime and maintaining law and order of the country. In fact, society has given power to the Police department through the legislature and over the years the role of the police has affected the public. With effect from January 2004 a new crime detection programme will come into operation. This programme encompasses that two police officers from each police station islandwide to be appointed as criminal investigation officers attached to the crime branch and as a model project the Ratnapura police station will start the programme. The main tasks of those two crime investigation officers are to maintain records of all notorious characters in the respective police area and they are advised to observe the crime trend in that particular area. At the same time these two officers (One sub inspector and Sergeant) will have to address the weekly instruction class for about 30 minutes on current findings and the crime wave of the area. Police headquarters has already instructed all OICs to strictly adhere to this programme. DIG Fernando is optimistic that with the introduction of an effective crime detection programmes the Police department will be highly activated and motivated to perform the assigned duties with a sense of responsibility and dedication. Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (Research, Planning and Inspection), Chandrasiri Fernando, has conducted a number of surveys on total crimes, division wise maximum number of rape cases, victim suspect relationship, ages of victims, occupations of victims,marital status of suspects and time of incidents. Once the crimes committed with advanced technology were confined only to different countries, highly complex types of crime committed with new technology can be seen in Sri Lanka. Senior DIG Fernando explains that people in Sri Lanka live in fear due to increasing crime rates and the Police department has commenced a programme to eliminate "fear of crime" from the minds of people and create a good image of the police in society through the socialisation process. According to DIG Fernando, in 2002 the conviction rate was 4 per cent as most criminals have gone scot-free and are engaged in committing different types of crime. The main objective of the Police department is to increase the conviction rate so that more arrests of criminals could be made to eliminate the fear of crime. When asked about the increasing crime wave in Sri Lanka, DIG Fernando explained that studies had revealed that the crime rate had not increased as in 1990 total crimes reported were 48,264 and in 2002 the figure was 49095. The reason was that everybody was thinking of more LTTE attacks than crimes committed here and there in the country. In the midst of LTTE attacks,the other crimes had been ignored and the Police had to focus on the security of the country. Mobilisation of police personnel to various check-points and judges had to release accused persons in the absence of required police officers at the courts. As a result of this a large number of criminals began to commit various types of crime in society resulting in a 4 per cent conviction rate. DIG Fernando is of the view that since the signing of the MoU between the Government and the LTTE, traditional crimes such as murders, rape cases, robberies came on the scene and instead of traditional weapons like axe, knife and mattocks criminals had started to use automatic weapons to commit crimes. Following the cease-fire agreement, the Police department started to introduce and implement a new "action plan" and to carry out immediately to increase the conviction rate which has been alarming. After an in-depth study district by district division by division and station by station the Police Research and Planning Division Unit has decided to implement a new process of crime investigation and dealing with complainants positively. In this process a special emphasis has been laid to investigate leading clues of the complainant and the witnesses to solve the crime. This is a scientific investigation in which OICs,in crime branches, ASPs are required to inform their findings at weekly and monthly meetings and in every police station two officers have been trained to recording complaints scientifically and investigate them. Recording complaints is a legal requirement. Instruction have been given to all SSPs that prevention and detection of crime be prioritised at all times. The Police department has also found that some males as well as females have become potential victims of society due to their lifestyles. Prostitutes, lottery winners, females in transparent dresses, rich persons driving cars in the night and drug traffickers have become targets of crime. "By Changing unnecessary lifestyles people can avoid possible crimes to a large extent," says DIG Fernando. On a directive of the IGP and Senior DIG Fernando in the Southern Province, UVA province and Kegalle, an effective programme has been introduced and police officers are required to maintain a complete record of all criminals in these areas, a record of taxies and three wheelers, number of pawn-brokers of the area, and a record of vehicles used for crimes, According to Fernando, another significant milestone in constructing a state-of-the-art laboratory to carry out DNA tests (basic genetic building blocks) is also underway with the assistance of the Swedish government. In-depth studies carried out by the Police department has also revealed that criminal intelligence in the public was very weak as in most criminal investigations could not be solved due to lack of knowledge and support of the public. The entire activities of the department should be changed to result-oriented activities. Another programme that will come into effect shortly is that all SPs, SSPs and range DIGs will have in co-ordination work out effective crime prevention, crime detection while maintaining law and order in the country. As a rule a Senior DIG has to be responsible for about 100 police stations. When asked about whether the Police department had started any public relations programmes to create a positive image of Police in the minds of the people, DIG Fernando said that people are the vital sources of information required by Police to combat crime. Voluntary organisations, NGOs and the general public must not hesitate to provide required information to the Police and the Police ensures that informants names and personal particulars will be held in strict confidence. There are 34 women branches in the police. A new public relations programmes is being implemented that police officers are instructed to participate in religious as well as cultural festivals organised by various committees in villages. It has also been decided that Police department must place trust and confidence in the public and must recognise the public. To make that programme a complete success Narahenpita and Kirulapone police stations have started to greet people when they visit the stations. DIG Fernando says that the attitude change in police officers is extremely difficult but some police officers who have been trained in public relations and human rights are doing well. Another area the Police department has done is to increase sitting capacities in all police stations and keeping the stations spick and span at all times. Some corrupt police officers have brought discredit to the department by taking bribes, demanding extortion and releasing suspects unlawfully. Senior police officers must always set examples to junior officers with close supervision on the duties of others. With regard to the rape cases, the Anuradhapura district has become first in Sri Lanka (In 1999 111, in 2000 99, in 2001 89 and 2002 109) cases have been reported. Ratnapura has shown second place in rape cases and Chilaw, Kegalle, Kandy, Polonnaruwa, Tangalle and Gampaha have become districts of rape in the country. It was shocking to note that 72 per cent rape victims were reported in Anuradhapura and most of the victims were below 16 and 20. |
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