Citizens of social standing to be appointed:

Advisory Committees to curb crime

by Jayampathy JAYASINGHE

The police are exploring the possibility of appointing citizens of social standing to Advisory Committees to be set up in the country shortly to advise the police and the public on matters relating to contentious issues that crop up from time to time affecting the peace and stability of the country, a top police official told the Sunday Observer.

Retired senior Government officials, religious leaders and others of standing who command respect in their areas will be appointed to these Advisory Committees by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), said Senior DIG Pujith Jayasundera who has been entrusted with the task of setting up these committees. Steps will be taken to appoint members to each Advisory Committee in the Grama Niladhari Division.

At present there are 14,972 Grama Niladari Divisions in the country.

The Advisory Committees are due to be set up in two months when their powers and functions have been decided on, sources said.

Twenty-five members have been already appointed from each Grama Niladhari Division to the newly set up Community Crime Committees following the tension created in certain villages regarding the sighting of mythical characters that led to unrest and attacks on several police stations.

The Community Crime Committees will act as a catalyst to curb crime in their areas.