Sri Lanka Police

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Crest of the Sri Lanka Police.
Crest of the Sri Lanka Police.

The Sri Lanka Police is an integral part of the nation's security forces, with primary responsibility for internal security. Specially trained commando unit named Special Task Force, are regularly deployed in joint operations with the armed forces for Counter-Terrorism operations, and the police command structure in Northern and Eastern provinces is closely integrated with the other security organizations under the authority of the Joint Operations Command. The police is headed by an inspector general of police who reports to the minister of defense.

Contents

[edit] History

1797 :- The office of Fiscal was created and Fredric Barron Mylius was appointed as Fiscal of Colombo and entrusted with responsibility of policing the City of Colombo.

1806 :- The regulation No. 6 of 1806, appointed a Police Vidane to each village, for prevention and detection of crime in rural area.

1832: - A committee appointed by the governor was instructed to form a police force. It was decided by this committee that this new police force was to be funded by a tax to be paid by the public. It consisted of One Superintendent, One Chief Constable, Five Constables, Ten Sergeants and 150 Peons. They were responsible for maintaining law and order in the capital city of Colombo.

1844: - As the police force was restricted to coastal areas only , a second police force was created to cater to the hill country.

1858: - The police force in the coastal area and the Police force in the hill country were unified to make one Police force.

1864: - The first death of a police officer whilst on duty occurred when he attempted to apprehend a brigand by the name of "Saradiel" who was subsequently compared to "Robin Hood" of “sher wood forest”.

1865: - The Police Ordinance was enacted to stipulate powers and responsibilities of policemen.

1866: - Mr. "William Robert Campbell" then the chief of police in the Indian province of Rathnageri, was appointed as Chief Superintendent of Police in Sri Lanka to be in charge of the Police Force on 03.09.1866. Therefore, the 3rd of September 1866 is considered as the beginning of Sri Lanka Police Service.

1867: - The Chief of Police was designated as the Inspector General of Police Accordingly Mr. "William Robert Campbell" became the first Inspector General of Police . The Police Headquarters was found at Maradana, in the City of Colombo.

1870: - Muslim rioters attacked The Police Headquarters. The Police were successful in repulsing the attack, but the building of the Police Headquarters was damaged. In this year the Criminal Investigations Department (C.I.D.) was formed.

1879: - The strength of the Police force had tripled from 585 when IGP Campbell was appointed, to a force of 1528. The first police firing range, training college and the publishing of the annual administration report emerged during this year.

1882: - Two three-wheel bicycles were obtained for transportation. These were the first vehicles obtained by the Police force.

1892: - The Depot Police presently known as the Field Force Headquarters was formed. Uniforms and housing were made free for Police officers as well as the payment of a Good Conduct Allowance was initiated.

1908: - Finger printing and photographing of criminals were initiated along with the direct recruitment to the rank of Assistant Superintendents of Police during this year.

1913: - Mr. "Herbert Layard Dowbiggin" was appointed as the 8th Inspector General of Police. 119 Police stations were in operation with a total strength of 2306.

1915: - For the first time two officers were appointed as Deputy Inspectors General of Police .

1916: - 0.22 Caliber rifles were issued in place of shotguns.

1920: - For the first time police officers were deployed for the purpose of controlling traffic

1923: - A book containing comprehensive details regarding all aspects of the Police called the “Departmental Order Book” was formulated.

1926: - The Sport Division was established.

1930: - A handbook of traffic rules and regulations was issued for traffic duties.

1932: - The Police Headquarters was shifted from Maradana to it’s present location in Colombo Fort.

1938: - Police telephone boxes were deployed throughout the city of Colombo.

1942: - Temporary forces were employed, known as Temporary Police Constables.

1945: - Police units were deployed at all hospitals. In addition Police units were also deployed for Railway security. However the following year, the Railway Police force was discontinued as a mecessity did not arise.

1952: - Women were enrolled to the Police force for the first time. VHF Radios were introduced for communication. It was decided that in honour of police officers killed in the line of duty state funerals with full police honours would be held. In addition the Police flag would be flown at half mast throughout the country.

1954: - Police stations were graded into five classifications viz. Grade “E” to Grade “A” . The grading of Police stations were considered depending on the work load , population, locality , crimes , important Institutions etc., in the area.

1963: - Divisions in the Police were made as North, Central, South, Administration & Criminal Investigation Department. Mr. D. B. I. P. S. Siriwardane, a Civil servant was the first civilian to be appointed as the Deputy Inspector of Police in charge of Administration.

1966: - The Police Public Relations Division was established on 1'st October 1966, at Police Headquarters, Colombo.

1969: - The establishment of the Tourist Police and the Illicit Immigration sector, in March 1969.

1972: - The Crime Detective Bureau was started on 1'st August 1972.

1973: -On the15th of August 1973 the Police Narcotics Bureau was started and The Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau too was established.

1974: - The Police uniforms for Constables and Sergeants was changed.

1976: - The rank of Woman Police Sub Inspector was introduced. 2 Women police officers were promoted to the rank of Sub Inspector.

1978: - Establishment of The Police Higher Training Institute.

1979: - The Children & Women Bureau was established.

1983: -Establishment of The Police Special Task Force.

1985: - A new promotion scheme was introduced from the rank of Police Constable up to the rank of Inspector of Police.

1988: - A Woman Police Inspector was promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police

1989: - Women were recruited and enlisted as Sub Inspectors.

1990: - Police Public Relations were enhanced by the three triangle system of involving the Police, Schools, and places of worship.

1990: - Police Sport Division was established.

1991:- The IG's Command Room was established.

1991: - The Sri Lanka Police celebrated 125 years of Policing in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Police Flag.
Sri Lanka Police Flag.

[edit] Organization

In 1988 the police force was divided into three geographic commands--known as ranges--covering the northern, central, and southern sectors of the island. The ranges were subdivided into divisions, districts, and stations, and Colombo was designated as a special division. In 1974 there were a total of 260 police stations throughout the country. In more remote rural areas beyond the immediate range of existing police stations, law enforcement functions are carried out by locally elected village headmen (grama seva niladhari, literally "village service officers"). In addition to its regular forces, the national police operated a small reserve contingent and a number of specialized units responsible for investigative and paramilitary functions. Routine criminal activity was handled by the Criminal Investigation Department under the command of an assistant superintendent of police. More coordinated threats to internal security, such as that posed by the radical Sinhalese Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna were the responsibility of the Countersubversive Division, which was primarily an investigative division. Special operational units included the Commando Squad of the Colombo police and the Special Task Force. The former, a 200-strong riot control force, was established following the anti-Tamil riots of 1983. The Special Task Force is a police field force. It was set up in 1984 with the assistance of foreign advisers (primarily former British Special Air Service personnel under the auspices of Keeny Meeny Services, see Foreign Military Relations , this ch.). Its 1,100-member force was organized into 7 companies and trained in counterinsurgency techniques. It played a major role in the government's combined force operations against the Tamil Tigers in Eastern Province before July 1987. Following the signing of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord, the Special Task Force was redesignated the Police Special Force, and deployed in Southern Province, where it immediately went into action against the JVP terrorists. Companies of the force also served in rotation as part of the presidential security guard.

Sri Lanka Police Special Task Force commandos
Sri Lanka Police Special Task Force commandos

Until 1984 the police were responsible for national intelligence functions, first under the Special Branch, and later under the Intelligence Services Division. The perceived failure of the Intelligence Services Division during the riots of July 1983 led the Jayewardene government to reevaluate the nation's intelligence network, and in 1984 the president set up a National Intelligence Bureau. The new organization combined intelligence units from the army, navy, air force, and police. It was headed by a deputy inspector general of police who reported directly to the Ministry of Defence.

[edit] Ranks

[edit] Commissioned Officers

[edit] Non-Commissioned Officers

[edit] See Also

[edit] External links

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