The Sri Lanka Police celebrates its 150th anniversary

The 150th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Police Force was commemorated at the Field Force Headquarters, Bambalapitiya on September 3. President Maithripala Sirisena was the Chief Guest who also celebrated his 65th birthday on that day. The standard form of address 'Sri Lanka Police' was adopted to commemorate the anniversary. A commemorative stamp and a first day cover was issued to mark the occasion. A new Police Anthem was adopted with the participation of Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development, Sagala Ratnayaka.

On September 3, 1866 William Robert Campbell, then Chief of Police of the Indian province of the Rathnageri, was appointed by Governor Frederick North as the first Chief Superintendent of Police in Ceylon. The date is considered as the beginning of the Sri Lanka Police Service. Campbell is credited with shaping the Police Force into an efficient organization and giving it a distinct identity. He brought the entire island under his purview and the police became a national rather than a local force.

The Sri Lanka Police Force was set up on September 3, 1866 with 560 officers and 47 police stations. Currently, the Force comprises 84,000 officers with 450 Police Stations islandwide.