Serve the public, not the politician, Acting IGP tells his men

Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Attorney Priyantha Weerasuriya has directed Police officers across all ranks above the level of Officer-in-Charge to prioritise serving the public and fulfilling police duties, rather than catering to the interests of politicians.

Addressing senior police officers via Zoom on Saturday (26), the Acting IGP emphasised that the Police should work to satisfy the public through proper policing. He advised officers to stop unnecessary actions carried out under the name of “community policing” that may not genuinely benefit the public.

Highlighting past issues, Weerasuriya pointed out that previous IGPs reportedly appointed OICs based on letters from the politicians. He asserted that in future, appointments would not be influenced by such letters and stressed that officers who feel unable to serve the public effectively should notify him in writing. Weerasuriya also assured that he would appoint capable officers if others are unwilling or unable to serve the public.

The acting IGP emphasised that the Police should focus solely on their duties and address public complaints promptly, as even minor issues, if addressed quickly, could prevent larger crimes and help build public trust in the Police force.

Weerasuriya instructed that any corrupt officers or those involved in drug trafficking must first be removed from their positions before disciplinary inquiries are conducted. He criticised the previous practice of conducting inquiries before suspending corrupt officers, which allowed ongoing misconduct.

The Acting IGP also encouraged OICs to leave their air-conditioned offices and actively monitor their stations. He insisted that OICs should be visible on roads by 7:00 am.

Furthermore, he criticised some senior officers for failing to reward their subordinates on time and committed to personally investigating these cases to prevent similar issues in the future. He also addressed the practice of unnecessarily delaying officers’ leave requests, stating that he would take strict actions against higher-ranking officers who engage in such practices.

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