28 May 2021 08:37 pm
IGP C.D. Wickramaratne has directed police officers not to harass or embarrass the public during inspections and during implementation of quarantine law and said diciplinery action will be taken against superior officers, if such incident was reported in the future, a senior police officer told the Daily Mirror.
When travel restrictions are being imposed to prevent Covid-19 virus spread, the police are checking vehicles and people at roadblocks and other places while enforcing quarantine laws.
However, It was observed in video footage and by media that certain police officers act in a manner that causes embarrassment to the public.
In a special zoom meeting with all the senior officers, the IGP has strongly criticized the actions of some officers and has directed senior officers to take action to prevent such incidents.
The IGP informed senior officers that such action by certain officers is a serious blow to the reputation of the police among the public.
Accordingly, the IGP instructed that vehicles and people should be inspected and the quarantine law should be enforced strictly against those who only violate laws.
However, he reportedly ordered the police officers to immediately stop such abuse or harassment.
Also, the IGP directed all senior police officers to make a note in their pocket notebook of every police officer stating that such abuses or acts of public nuisance should not be tolerated.
Further, the IGP informed that DIGs in charge of all divisions to inform him that the police officers in their divisions have taken notes in their pocket notebook of these instructions.
The senior officer said the IGP instructed to take disciplinary action against the HQI or OIC in the respective areas if there were any such incidents of harassing or embarrassing the public is reported by the media.(Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)