Although the role of the law enforcement agencies is to protect and serve the public, and the connection and mutual trust and understanding between the two parties play a significant part in ensuring that the Police render its service in an effective and public-friendly manner, the trust the public had in the law enforcement agencies, especially in the Police, has severely declined during the past year. While this deterioration of trust and connection started decades ago, the Police’s conduct during last year’s public protest campaign, the “aragalaya” (the people’s struggle), and other protests that followed, has caused the trust deficit to grow.

The disproportionate and heavy-handed use of force against protestors, mainly through the use of tear gas, water cannons and baton charges, has resulted in the perception of the police department eroding significantly. The illegal obstruction to protests that amount to a violation of not only the citizens’ constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental rights but also of the general law, which were quite prevalent during the past year, hasn’t helped in improving the image of the police. The Police’s official role as a protector of the public has, over time, and more recently, been viewed as an oppressor of the public. The police are also seen widely as the protectors of unpopular governments and corrupt politicians. Even though human rights violations during protests were highlighted by local and international watchdogs and activists, the public’s demand for justice and accountability has been met with a cold stonewall of silence from the government. Instead of accountability and justice, the Police and the current Government went on to defend their actions and have attempted to justify the Police’s conduct during that period citing matters of public safety and public order. The continued failure to bring to justice the law enforcement officers who have abused their powers and engaged in police brutality, will only further aid the deterioration of law enforcement in the country.

However, the court of public opinion does not welcome these justifications and refusals to take action. Instead, it demands justice, transparency, and accountability on the part of the Police. What is more, following decades of the abuse of power, arbitrary use of force and heavy handed tactics used on recent protests, many citizens have started to despise the members of the law enforcement agencies. There are clear signs that the public’s trust in the Police, which waned considerably during the past few decades, has now reached a state where it is extremely arduous to be restored. This trust deficit is a bigger issue than it appears to be. On the one hand, as long as the public views the Police as an oppressor and a protector of the corrupt, the masses are unlikely to assist and cooperate with the Police. On the other hand, when the public loses the respect they had for the Police, the Police’s authority and the influence on the public declines. Consequently, this situation adversely impacts law and order, human rights, democracy and many other essential qualities of a democracy.

Needless to say, the long-term impact of a culture of impunity and focus on counter insurgency on the Police department has created serious peace-time challenges for effective law enforcement in crisis-hit countries such as Sri Lanka. Rectifying these issues will require long-term, well organised, public-centric policies and transparent efforts. As a first and important step, current and future Governments must take action to depoliticise the law enforcement agencies and to instead promote scientific decision and policy making in those agencies. This would spark positive changes in the operational cultures and values of these agencies. At the same time, a key change that the law enforcement sector requires is a new set of procedures, backed by better training and awareness-raising. It will take a consolidated effort for the Police department to regain its integrity and earn the trust of the public. The Police will need to forge a new work culture which includes strong ethics and compliance regimes.

Most importantly, the Police needs to return to the era where community policing was at the centre of its operations. Even though the Police’s role considerably shifted from community policing to a counter insurgency role during the war, it is time to reverse that change and the mindset where Police officers feel as if their duty is to control the public. This is a gradual yet necessary change, and the Government should have a strong political will to change this situation.

The public’s opinion is that the Police have almost completely deviated from its main role, i.e. protecting and serving the public. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to state that during some instances, the public feels that they should seek protection from the Police. Changing this situation, and restoring the trust-based connection between the public and the Police, is crucial in averting further crises, and ensuring that Sri Lanka will rebuild as a nation where everyone feels protected and safe.