News
More cop shops to provide speedier response to public complaints
The Government will set up more than 150 new police stations within the next two years with multiple objectives, including providing speedy response to public complaints, a senior official said.
An allocation of one billion rupees will be provided for the setting up of new police stations in areas which will be identified depending on the area covered, its population, the crime rate and the number of important buildings in the area.
Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) – Administration Gamini Nawaratna told the Sunday Times that some of the police stations covered large areas with over 100 Grama Niladhari divisions making it extremely difficult for the police to respond quickly to public needs.
He said it is proposed to split existing police divisions into two with new boundaries demarcated for them.
DIG Nawaratne said that at least 100 of the new police divisions have already been identified with the setting up of the stations due to commence in the next two months.
The present police stations numbering 438 will be increased to 600 under the plan.
There would be no immediate additional recruitment and fresh recruitments will be made according to the requirements later. However it would create new positions such as Officer’s In charge of the stations.
Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order Jagath Wijeweera said that most of the new police stations will be initially set up in houses rented out as the government plans to implement the proposal as soon as possible.
‘The plan will help to provide a speedy response in the event of crime, increasing detections and step up patrolling and help the people to reach the respective police station soon’, he said.
He said that the programme will commence from Jaffna and will continue in other areas throughout the year.
The government’s proposal of increasing the police stations was explained to the senior police officers by the Ministerof Law and Order Sagala Ratnayaka this week.