IGP vows tougher discipline within police
– Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya identified combating organized crime, curbing the drug menace and maintaining traffic discipline as the three main challenges currently facing the Sri Lanka Police.He made these remarks while speaking at the opening of the new official residence for the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Buttala Police Station in the Monaragala Police Division.The IGP said the Police Department was also facing a shortage of around 38,000 to 40,000 personnel, as between 2,000 and 2,500 officers retire annually while around 250 personnel die or become disabled due to accidents and other causes.
He said approval had been granted to recruit 10,000 new personnel to address the shortage, with around 1,500 already recruited and another 950 expected to join shortly.Stressing the importance of discipline within the police service, IGP Weerasooriya said strict measures would be taken against officers who failed to maintain the required standards of conduct.He said steps had also been taken to resolve long-standing delays in promotions. Promotions for more than 4,000 personnel up to 2019 had already been cleared, followed by nearly 2,000 promotions covering the period up to 2025.
The IGP said skills interviews and competitive examinations were currently being conducted and that existing promotion-related grievances were expected to be resolved this year. A system would then be introduced to ensure timely annual promotions from next year, he said.He also said efforts were being made to improve the professional capabilities of police officers, with nearly 1,000 officers sent overseas for training.According to the IGP, opportunities for overseas training, including scholarships offered by India, would be made available based on English-language proficiency rather than rank.Reflecting on his own career from the lowest rank in the Police Department to the position of IGP, Weerasooriya urged officers to regularly assess their performance and remain committed to serving the public.He said the effectiveness of the Police ultimately depended on public trust and its ability to provide an efficient service to the community, stressing that maintaining public confidence was essential for effective law enforcement.