Police to be beefed up:
Will depoliticise recruitment:
Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala said that steps will be taken to expedite the process of strengthening the required manpower in the Police to combat organized crime, underworld and drug trafficking in the country and progress will be reviewed within two to three months time.
The Minister said the new Government will depoliticise the recruitment process of the police service and ensure promotions are made based on skills and capabilities.
He emphasised that a law-abiding and disciplined police must be created first as without accomplishing that, it is difficult to create a fair and just society.
The Minister said this after assuming office at the Public Security Ministry yesterday (19).
“Presently, there are several problems faced in police recruitment. These are reviewed and required recruitment will be carried out very soon as reinforcement of police is required to control the criminal activities and drug trafficking in the country. We will depoliticise the recruitment process of the police service and ensure promotions are made based on skills and capabilities.
“Special attention will be given to the problems faced by the officers in the lower ranks of the Police service as well as the problems faced by the public when they go to the Police.”
“The Public Security Minister said that the additional police officers released from the President’s and Ministerial Security Divisions will also be utilised to strengthen the manpower of the Police. “The National Peoples’ Power in its manifesto promised to establish law enforcement in the country, to bring back justice and fairness to all the people and societies in the country. The previous government has politicized all the departments in the public security ministry including all the Criminal Justice departments especially the Police. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has already taken several initial steps to depoliticise the Police force. We will mediate to ensure the independence of the Sri Lanka Police free of political interference.” The Minister said that he expects the entire Police force to align and dedicate themselves with the NPP government’s policy statement and people’s mandate given to eradicate bribery, corruption, fraud and financial crimes and provide its fullest support and service to achieve them.
Minister Wijepala emphasised that the Public Security Ministry including the Police must be transformed to become a people friendly, people centered ministry providing security, safety, welfare and justice to the public. The Public Security Minister said that a massive social, economic and political transformation will be made in the country and his role is to ensure that the Police is aligned to suit that goal.
Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne, Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya together with senior police officers, officials of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ministries attended the event.
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