Police inspectors had requested the Presidents Secretary Lalith Weeratunga not to allow other persons to carry weapons while accompanying policemen in providing security to VIP’s.

They have also requested the appointment of a senior police officer in the police department to coordinate the security of the VIP’s in the government and also in the opposition during parliament by not allowing anyone from outside to be accompanied with security officers or policemen with weapons in their possession.

The association has also proposed that if the particular VIP does not follow the regulations his security should be removed.

“We also proposed to the Presidents Secretary to provide security to VIP’s only from the Ministerial Security Division (MSD),” the police inspectors association said.

Policemen provided for VIP security with a service weapon from the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) and from police stations were made compulsory to wear the police uniform following the shooting incident which killed former parliamentarian and presidential advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra along with three others and causing serious head injuries to parliamentarian Duminda Silva.

However the Presidential Security Division (PSD) and Prime Ministers Security Division are excluded from new regulation issued by the Department.

But under the new regulations they would be authorised to carry only the service weapon issued by the Police Department. (Supun Dias)