Smart cops rewarded

SARATH MALALASEKERA

Policemen and women who were involved in arresting criminals, hard drug traffickers and LTTE suicide bombers over the last several months were rewarded with cash and certificates on the direction of Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickremaratne at a ceremony held at the Crime Record Division auditorium recently.

Over 150 policemen and women of all ranks who had brought honour to the Police Department received over Rs. 8 million in several stages.

DIGs K.P.P. Pathirana, Chandana Wickremaratne, H.M. Herath, Head of the STF Sarath Chandra, Newly appointed DIGs Anura Senanayake and Pathmasiri Vithana, several Senior SPs, SPs and ASPs, OICs also participated at the ceremony.

IGP Wickremaratne paid a tribute to the police personnel who were responsible for the arrest of an LTTE suspect who was in Colombo to commit a serious crime. The IGP paid a tribute to Senior DIG Nimal Mediwaka, Colombo DIG H.M. Herath and Colombo Central Senior SP Daya Samaraweera.

He requested police personnel to have a very close rapport with the public. It is a very difficult task, but try to fulfill this obligation in order to maintain law and order in the country.

“Whatever good the Police did, there was a section of people who criticised the police. ‘We will not assist or encourage people who are involved in crimes. Our prime duty is to safeguard the law-abiding citizens. Quoting several incidents occurred in the country recently, the IGP said that we also have ‘bad eggs’ in the department, but just because one person did a wrong thing it was very unfair to put the blame on the entire Police Department, he said.

“A section of the media also attempted to sling mud at us, but we will not be shaken by these type of actions. We do our best to maintain law and order in the country,” the IGP said.