Only informed Acting IGP to appoint a female DIG: NPC

The National Police Commission (NPC) today said that the Commission had only informed the Acting IGP to consider appointing a female Police Officer to the post of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) for the first time in the history of the Sri Lanka Police.

NPC Secretary Nishantha Weerasinghe said the Commission neither nominated nor approved any name of a woman police officer to the post of DIG.

Several media reported that SSP Bimsani Jasinghaarachchi attached to the Child and Women Bureau of the Department of Police has been promoted to the rank of DIG.

Mr. Weerasinghe said such reports were untrue. “What has really happened is that in the recent past, the National Police Commission has increased the contribution of women in the Police service. Measures were taken to increase the number of female officers in each post. Accordingly, nine female officers were promoted to the rank of SSP for the first time in the history of the police,” he said

He said the Commission paid attention on allocating one of the recent vacant posts of DIG to a woman SSP in terms of seniority and other qualifications.

He said the IGP has been informed in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Secretary said that the Commission is discussing to increase the women DIG cadre to four. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)