Against the backdrop of Public Security Minister Tiran Alles instructing the relevant authorities to initiate action against “inefficient” senior police officers and Officers-in-Charge (OIC), who allegedly fail to curb various crimes in their respective areas, the Police will ensure that officers capable of actively working to impede crimes are deployed to areas with high rates of crime, The Daily Morning learns.

Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne recently informed Alles that the increase in murders and crimes in the Southern and Western Provinces is due, in particular, to the inefficiency of certain senior police officers and OICs serving in the two provinces. In response, Alles had informed the IGP to remove such officers immediately and appoint suitable officers.

The Daily Morning queried Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police, and attorney Nihal Thalduwa regarding the possibility of removing such officers from the police service, to which he said that there is no possibility of doing so. “There will be something similar to transfers. The OICs capable of actively working in the field to curb crimes should be deployed to areas with a high rate of crime. If an OIC not of the required calibre is in charge of such areas, then it is an issue. So, the deployment of suitable officers to police divisions will be ensured.”

On 21 June, a discussion was held between Alles and Police top brass regarding the measures to be taken concerning the increasing murders and crimes in the Western and Southern Provinces. During the discussion, Wickramaratne had pointed out that the inefficiency of certain senior police officers and OICs assigned to those provinces had particularly caused the increase in murders and crimes. In response, Alles had told the IGP to remove such officers immediately and appoint suitable officers. Alles had also ordered Wickramaratne to strictly enforce the law regarding perpetrators.