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| Sunday, 7 November 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Call 119 to report crime by Jayampathy Jayasinghe The Police Department is planning to launch a programme next week by introducing 119 an emergency service number for the benefit of the public. This new number will be quite similar to 118, the National Emergency number launched by the Ministry of Public Security and Law and Order about two weeks ago. The Emergency Section will be based at the Police Communication Division at Mirihana, Nugegoda to channel complaints from the public to any Police station in the country for swift action via a radio link. This is the first time that such a system has been introduced by the Police Department. A senior Police officer said logistical support such as vehicles and man power will be provided at every police station to respond to any emergency situation. A survey conducted by the Public Security, Law and Order Ministry has found that the public undergoes enormous difficulty in contacting Police stations for help during an emergency. This frequently happens as a result of telephones at Police stations are engaged. To overcome this impasse the Public Security, Law and Order Ministry has set up a National Emergency Centre to liaise with the police. The public can now dial 118 and report any type of crime or malpractice from any part of the country directly to the National Emergency Centre. Those who do not wish to be identified when passing information to the centre can still do so and remain anonymous by simply phoning up the centre. Voice recording The National Emergency Centre is located at the Ministry of Public Security Law and Order premises which is linked to Police Headquarters for swift action. Ten computers have been installed at the centre for voice recording purposes and for follow up action by the Police. The centre is manned by 15 trained policemen who will be on duty from 6. a.m. till 10.00 p.m. daily. The ministry hopes to extend the service to cover 24 hours later. Swift action During the past two weeks the Centre received 693 complaints of crime including complaints of robbery, thefts, assaults, possession of illegal firearms, consumption of illicit liquor and drugs, bribery, abduction and malpractice at state institutions. These complaints were referred to various police stations for swift action. It is interesting to note that police acting on information supplied by the Centre had apprehended several persons involved in criminal activity. On November 2, the centre received information that a van was transporting drugs from the airport. All police stations along the route were alerted and the van was seized forthwith by Wattala police. Later police learnt the van was transporting jewellery and clothing and drugs which were jettisoned on their way to Colombo. Further inquiries are being made in this connection. On September 25 police arrested a young man for abducting a juvenile girl from Chilaw area. In a separate incident the Ragama police arrested a man for transporting illegal arms in a three wheeler. On September 25 a robbery inside a bus bound to Colombo was thwarted by the police. On the same day Pothuhera Police arrested a group of persons for unauthorised sand mining. On September 25, the Weerangula police apprehended a group of persons for assaulting another party. Emergency Centre The type of information that should be communicated to the National Emergency Centre include Murder, Abduction, Kidnapping, Rape, Suicide, Paedophile activity, Contract killing, Gang warfare, House breaking, fraud, Drug Peddling, Destruction of state property, Offences committed by members of armed services and the Police etc can be brought to the notice of the National Emergency Centre. Serious crimes committed by people have affected hapless people living in both in rural and urban areas nowadays. The soaring crime has been attributed to the deteriorating law and order situation in the country many say. These days crimes are committed in broad day light in the presence of public as hoodlums know well that the public wouldn't come forward to testify against them through fear of retribution. On the other hand the public too is aware that several witnesses had been shot to death in several instances in the past. Crimes like contract killing, robbery of banks, rape, abductions have increased tenfold due to many factors. The separatists war waged in the North and East has sapped experience and trained policemen being despatched to war torn areas to maintain law and order while there arn't trained policemen in the south to investigate crime. |
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