Explaining the reasons for the delay in bringing thieves to book as requested by the public, the President has expressed displeasure with the independent commission entrusted with depoliticizing the police service, citing the commission’s failure to implement police transfers as it sees fit.
One of the reasons pointed out by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the transfer of hundreds of officers familiar with the investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as soon as former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power.
Adding that despite the necessity to reinstate the officers that are familiar with the CID’s old investigations, there were certain ‘instances of reluctance’ on the part of the National Police Commission (NPC), the President said that he too is reluctant when it comes to the NPC.
President Dissanayake’s election manifesto titled ‘A Rich Country’ had promised to empower the NPC to implement all appointments, promotions, and transfers in the police service without being politicized.
“We cannot make transfers in the police service as we want. There is the NPC for that. Those transfers should be made by that commission. The NPC has been reluctant in some cases. I too am somewhat reluctant about that NPC. I am saying this to the gentlemen of the NPC,” the President said during a public meeting held in Katukurunda, Kalutara, on 19 January (Sunday).
The President’s warning comes in a context where, in response to a request made by acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya to transfer 17 Police Officers-in-Charge (OIC) serving in the Western Province, the NPC had sought more justifications and clarifications from the acting IGP.
Media reports said that according to the list of Police OICs sent to the NPC, steps had been sought to transfer 17 officers for ‘general duties’ in the police.
Under the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, the NPC, which was established with the main objective of depoliticizing the police force, has been vested with powers to appoint, promote, transfer, take disciplinary action against, and terminate the service of police officers, the only exception being the IGP.
During the event on 19 January, President Dissanayake had further stated that requests had been made to the NPC to transfer officers to the CID with the intention of fulfilling the mandate given by the public.
“We are not seeking any of these transfers for our personal safety. Not for a private business. We are requesting these transfers with the aim of fulfilling the mandate given by the public. We therefore expect that the commission will make these transfers in a fair manner.
Noting that the CID has been properly positioned to a certain extent, President Dissanayake had further said that capable officers have already begun their work.
“We have properly positioned the CID to a certain extent with competent, honest, and capable officers. They have started their work.
The NPC is chaired by retired High Court Judge E.W.M. Lalith Ekanayake, and has as members retired Ministry Secretary D.K. Renuka Ekanayake, retired District Secretary Kanapathipillai Karunaharan, attorney Dilshan Kapila Jayasuriya, President’s Counsel A.A.M. Illiyas, and retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Jayantha Jayasinghe.
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