‘If this is how I am treated , it is imaginable how indifferently people are treated ‘ Sagala rebukes the police !

(Lanka-e-News - 03.Oct.2017, 8.25PM)  ‘When inquiries are made in  connection with so many unlawful incidents from the IGP , the latter seemed to have come to know of those  for the first time only after I informed him . If this is how the IGP is conducting himself  even in his relations with me , it can be imagined what amount of issues are being created for the people, minister of law and order Sagala Ratnayake ,openly  bemoaned.  The minister was so distraught and disappointed that he had to use strong words such as ‘I am very suspicious’ and ‘I have no faith now’ when castigating the police top brass  on the  2 nd at Temple Trees.

The minister made these shocking comments when addressing a meeting on the 2 nd at Temple Trees attended by SSPs of the divisions, and SPs,  in the wake of the disillusionment and disappointment of the people with the law and order situation in the country, which has reached  the  point of forcing Sagala to quit his portfolio . 

Though 95% officers of the police officers are performing their duties duly , but the reprehensible conduct of the other officers  is not due to his  fault or of the government he pointed out , while  adding ,that is because they are not impartial and are supporting   politicians and other groups . Consequently ,they are taking a lethargic attitude towards their duties which is the cause of all these problems, the minister lamented. 

The minister while highlighting a number of examples of this indifference and lethargy of the police said , the conduct of the police in relation to the conflicts that broke out  pertaining to the refugees at Mt.Lavinia recently , was  most reprehensible and unpardonable.

Similarly , while there is a gazette notification with cabinet approval that vehicles weighing over 5 tons and over three meter high cannot enter the Galle Fort , the headquarters OIC not  follow this is most deplorable. The OIC is working according to whose agenda ? the minister questioned.

The minister’s vehicle recently met with an accident on the Southern expressway , when a vehicle overtook from the left side . His official vehicle was damaged  thereby .Yet no one accepted the blame in  that  connection. I had to stand at different places. Though there is a method to be followed by the police in such instances , nothing was done ,the minister regretted. 

The police did not even take measures to take him home. Instead of chasing after the individual who collided with the vehicle , the police made the minister  to alight from the vehicle,  and took his damaged  vehicle to the police , the minister revealed. If that is the treatment meted out to him , how can the police be depended upon in its  dealings with the people? he questioned.

Under the circumstances , he is now highly suspicious, the minister declared. Earlier on, even a security convoy vehicle of  P.M.’s met with  problems at Nuwara eliya when he was travelling , the minister pinpointed. 

 When an incident occurs specially a grave one , the SSP or SP of the division should visit the scene . Previously when there was a shooting incident in Jaffna , the officer in charge of the relevant division arrived at the scene after about  7 hours. Owing to this the police had to confront many issues. The first report of the police was proved false and the police became a laughing stock  before the public. Therefore in such incidents , the  officer in charge of that division should directly inform the IGP from the place of the incident, the minister insisted.

Even in the incident at Mt.Lavinia , it was he who first informed the acting IGP . In many  instances  when he inquired from the IGP about various incidents , the IGP was in the dark , the minister further lamented. 

There is also information that sometimes paint , food , drinks and other items have been collected for police stations  and offices of the police officers in charge of the division , from businessmen and various individuals. If there is a function or any other event at the police station , the necessary cash shall be collected from the Police department without insulting   the police department by trailing behind outsiders , the minister said.

 If the police officers are saying they haven’t freedom , that is an absolute lie. They have been given enough freedom to discharge their duties. Not only  the police station , but even the barrack must be maintained duly. The inspections conducted by the officers in charge of the police divisions and ASPs should be duly carried out. ‘A copy of the report of every inspection shall be sent to me too. I have  no faith in the inspections that are currently carried out on police stations and barracks by the officers in charge of the divisions , and the ASP’s .  I am informed some officers instead of doing the  inspection ,sit in the chair of the OIC , and prepare the reports , ‘  the minister  pinpointed. 

The discussion was attended by  Jagath Premalal Wijeweera , secretary to the minister of law and order , and Southern  development , the IGP and senior police officers. 

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by     (2017-10-03 17:38:49)