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| Sunday, 20 October 2002 |
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Interior Minister tells Police top brass : 'Certain officers connected to crime' Address by Minister of Interior John Amaratunga at the Seminar on the New Program for Police attended by the IGP, Senior DIGs, DIGs and Senior SPs in charge of Divisions held on 11-10-2002 at the Senior Officers' Mess, Colombo 5.
I am grateful to the Inspector General of Police for providing me with this opportunity of meeting Senior Officers of the Police force who are the nucleus of the higher Management Team. I would like to inform you that the Prime Minister, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Government have great faith in the Inspector General of Police who has been appointed recently to be the Head of your service. I sincerely wish and hope that Mr. Anandarajah will be able to live up to the expectations to direct his officers for a more dedicated, more refined, and a more community oriented police during his tenure. I could assure all of you that the Government will do everything possible for the betterment of the police. I am also aware that as the main law enforcement agency in the country, Police have a varied role to play in serving society, and I am happy that, as Minister-In-Charge of the subject, to be associated with you in endeavouring to perform a better service to the public in future. I would now like to go into specific matters which have come to the notice of my Ministry since it was inaugurated. There is at present the peace process to which this Government is dedicated in bringing about a better society for all people of the country to live in. It is a path beset with many difficulties but which we have to surmount. In this respect the functions that the police will have to perform are varied, and without the co-operation of the police in the maintenance of law and order in the right spirit, it would not be easy for the government to achieve its goal. Crime Quite apart from the fact that there is criminal activity about which there are public complaints everyday. I daresay there are numerous reasons for this situation. Everyone of you is a Senior Police Officer who had been handling crime and is fully aware of the reasons for this debacle. I do not wish to go into the details of this matter. However, I must emphasize that the work that is being done now in not sufficient and not penetrative enough to handle this situation. It appears to me that police have got into a lethargic situation resulting in either no action being taken or at the most, satisfied with limited action which is of very little use in prevention of crime as well as successful completion of inquiries ending in action before Court. I would like all of you to address your minds as to how much of time and effort you put into tackling crime in your respective areas. As for myself, from little observations I have been able to make, it is apparent that if the senior officers take to heart the present problems and take positive action in the present incidence of violent and other crime, it can be brought down without much difficulty. I must also bring to your notice that there have been allegations that police officers at all levels are connected in a big way with various king-pins in crime and prevent the due process of Justice taking place. It is no secret that there are certain persons among your ranks who are connected with persons involved in criminal activity. However, I would expect all senior officers to reorient themselves to the task of tackling crime in its correct perspective and not become mere pawns in the hands of criminal elements. I would like the new Inspector General of Police to take note of this matter and take every possible action to wipe out this behaviour pattern from all ranks of the police. I will support the Inspector General of Police in respect of such a drive fully and unreservedly. It is for the IGP to come down hard on the criminal elements and ensure that there is a change-around in respect of the outlook towards crime without fear or favour. Traffic Management Another matter I wish to raise is in respect of Traffic Management throughout the whole country in both urban and rural areas. Everyday it is publicised in both the print and electronic media the various fatal and other serious accidents, and traffic congestion as well as a host of other matters connected with traffic management. I am not sure whether there is any concerted action-plan in the police to handle the daily increasing incidence of traffic management problems. As far as I see, the present manner in which police are handling traffic management is totally inadequate. There are numerous complaints of corruption in respect of traffic personnel. One sees most of the traffic policemen herded together and not being attentive to their duties. In any given situation it is difficult to find traffic personnel although they are being issued with high-powered motorcycles, communication equipment etc. On the other hand, one finds that most of the traffic personnel are ill-trained to handle the function they are required to perform. I do not know to what use communication equipment is being put to. It has now become common knowledge that in the City of Colombo, patrol cars are used more as a taxi service rather than for the work they are required to perform. There are a few observations which I have raised so that it will at least open the eyes and ears of senior police officers. Discipline I would also like to mention the deteriorating standards of discipline among all ranks. There have been a very large number of complaints against police officers for undue use of force. In respect of these matters while members of public who have the ability have filed cases against police officers, others less fortunate suffer in silence. There are also complaints of police officers not attending Court resulting in the discharge of persons accused of various grave crimes. I am not interested to hear the excuses for these lapses because Courts have given dates, time and time again, to get the police officer to give evidence. Even in day-to-day matters OICs do not attend to their duties in Courts. Court action is left to a Sergeant or to a PC. I was recently informed of a Woman reserve Constable who handles prosecutions at a Court-house. This situation must change. Judicial process is a part of the Criminal Justice System and police are legally and morally bound to ensure that Justice is meted out to all. Punctuality With regard to the punctuality of police officers, I wish to point out that the present situation is totally unacceptable. Even at Police Headquarters senior staff officers cannot be found at their desks during normal working hours. I could very well understand the situation if an officer is required to attend to any field duties, but where such a situation does not arise, I am at a loss to understand why senior officers who are provided with all facilities including government vehicles, driven by police drivers cannot be punctual in their attendance. This situation is applicable not only to Police Headquarters and the City of Colombo but to every police range, division,. district and police station as well. Resulting from this, civilian staff working in these offices also resort to the same practice. I would like to remind all officers holding supervisory ranks in the police service to be punctual and to be available to the public during the times that the public call upon them to transact business. Problems affecting promotions and other issues I am aware of the many difficulties faced in respect of promotions, salaries, matters connected with welfare such as housing, schooling for children and other facilities. In respect of promotions from rank to rank we are in the process of changing the existing criteria which had been more of an impediment than help. There is also an urgent need for training at all levels. The structure available in the police appears to be totally inadequate in this regard. The training function had been limited to absolutely basic levels without any action being taken to provide sufficient management training at higher levels and training in operational police activity at lower levels. The nett result of this course of action is now clearly manifested in the manner in which police officers of all ranks are getting about their day-to-day activities. Media I would like to emphasize the need to be alive to both electronic and print media. The media plays a vital role in society. While we should appreciate the truthful and correct reportage of facts, it is also essential to correct any inaccuracies in this direction. I suggest that the present Directorate of Police Public Relations be geared to attend to this very important requirement. Conclusion The foregoing matters dealt with by me are mere observations made with the intention that suitable corrective measures would be taken by everyone of you present here today. I would therefore request you to consider my observations in their correct perspective and not take them as indictments on the working of the Police at present. You will appreciate that there is always room for improvement and where such improvements are necessary, they should be done early rather than late. I would like to point out that a sum of over 13 billion rupees of tax payers' money is utilised for the maintenance of the Police. You are therefore duty bound to provide a service that the public would be satisfied with. The Government is conscious of the problems, difficulties and the deficiencies that members of the Police Force are compelled to undergo in performing their multifarious duties. Therefore, whilst emphasizing the need for a positive approach to overcome the deficiencies and drawbacks in the service, I as your Minister, together with our government under the leadership of the Prime Minister, will always strive to provide all essentials to transform the present force to a more contented Police Force. The government is committed to providing you with requirements at any cost. I am sure that the Police Force would appreciate the steps taken by our Government to promulgate the Independent Police Commission. I believe that with the establishment of this body, the frustration which had crept into the Force due to various reasons would soon be completely eradicated. With these few words I would like to terminate this presentation and finally I would be grateful if you would take every step possible to pave the way for a better Police service which our country could be proud of! |
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