New IGP pledges to boost the morale of police lower rung
 

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

New IGP Victor Perera addressing the press conference held at Police Head Quarters recently

The newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Victor Perera pledged to boost the morale of the police lower rung hitherto neglected by the police department for long. Every endeavour would be made to provide basic requirements such as quarters to constables and sergeants who perform strenuous duties under trying conditions.

The IGP said that welfare facilities of lower rank policemen had been neglected due to lapses. Basic facilities like quarters for policemen have been inadequate despite the increase of the police strength. It is essential that these facilities are provided for policemen to perform their duties with a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction. A large numbers of policemen who come to Colombo from outstations for various duties have to put up at schools and temples with least amount of facilities. How can you expect them to perform their duties satisfactorily? he queried.

IGP said this at a press briefing held at the police headquarters recently. He said that he intends to upgrade the status of the police hospital to that of a hospital complex in the near future. The health of many policemen are at a low ebb today owing to strenuous duties they perform, being exposed to toxic fumes from motor vehicles and other health hazards.

He said plans have been drawn to revamp training facilities at the Police Training School where recruits will be taught both Tamil and English languages to communicate with people. Policemen should be in a position to record statements in the language people speak. The recruits thereafter will be posted to Tamil speaking areas to record statements in Tamil Language to get a hands on experience.

IGP said that lower rank recruits will be taught English at the Police Training School to help them to follow specialised training courses abroad.

The biggest setback was that they were not proficient in English to follow courses abroad. Referring to children of policemen, he said libraries will be set up in police stations, to enable them to continue with their studies.

New IGP being felicitated by journalists

The IGP said, to overcome problems arising out of transfers he had proposed to the National Police Commission (NPC) in setting up administrative districts within which police officers could be transferred. However officers will not be sent to areas where they live. The NPC is expected to give a ruling on this matter, he said.

Figures show that the number of policemen in the department had increased from 11,000 in 1970 to 65,000 in 2006, although it does not correspond with the increase of official quarters. Owing to this, married officers in lower ranks have to rent out houses at a high cost which they find it difficult. This has adversely affected police transfers. Owing to a dearth of bachelor quarters, officers are compelled to report for work from outside which had adversely affected.

Referring to promotions, he said that some police Constables had not gone beyond the rank they joined even after serving for 40 years in the department. It became a serious issue until President Mahinda Rajapakse had to intervene and promote constables with a service of 16 years as sergeants and sergeants more than 12 years were promoted as Sub- Inspectors. Police Reservists too will be absorbed into the regular service as the police department had failed to do so in the past.

IGP also said there has to co-operation between the police and the media in order to keep public informed of important happenings. A committee will be appointed soon to look into this aspect.

PROfile

IGP Victor Perera joined the police department as an Assistant Supdt. of Police in 1974 along with his other batch mates like Senior DIG Bodhi Liyanage, Senior DIG Sirisena Herath, Senior DIG Jayantha Wickremaratne, DIG Kumarasiri Gamage and DIG Seneviratne Banda. He had served as DIG in various provinces and later served at the Police Headquarters. He also served at one time as DIG of the Presidential Security Division (PSD).

Having studied at Vidyartha College, Horana, he graduated from the University of Colombo having obtained B.A. (Econ) He had followed the following courses abroad.

Crisis Management Course in Malaysia in 1990.

VIP Security Course in India in 1995

Critical Intelligence Management Course in USA in 2000

Professional Police Course in Thailand

A Police Course in China in 2005