• Says should deploy undercover operatives to catch corrupt policemen

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

Prevention of corruption, misdeeds and other unlawful acts among policemen was a sole responsibility of the Assistant Police Superintendent who is in charge of the Police Station and therefore, ASPs must always be committed to maintain discipline among his subordinate officers, Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (retired) Sarath Weerasekara said yesterday.

As such, ASPs must deploy undercover operatives to catch corrupt policemen under his command. Strict punitive action would be taken against the respective ASPs who have failed to put a stop to taking sexual or monetary bribes or engage in any other corrupt deeds in his division, he added. Addressing a team of newly promoted ASPs at the auditorium of the Public Security Ministry, Minister Weerasekara said ASPs must also be vigilant to ensure the well-being of policemen in their respective divisions in order to provide an efficient, brisk and people-friendly police service. 

“An ASP is normally in charge of three police stations. If he has information on taking financial or sexual bribes, acts of illegal or other corruptions by OICs, officers in the traffic branch or crime branch, the ASP must send detectives after them, apprehend them and report to the Police Department for appropriate action against the offending policemen,” he stressed.

If a policeman was caught by any other state law enforcement arm while accepting a bribe or sexual gratification from a woman who seeks police assistance for her grievances or commits other misdeeds detrimental to the good name of the Police Department, action would be taken against the respective ASP, he noted.

“When you get a promotion, you get an added responsibility. While ensuring a clean sheet of duty by yourself and all policemen at police stations under your purview, you must always be ready to make sure that your subordinate officers have job satisfaction, well looked after, and they have the least complaints because their welfare directly affects their duty and efficiency, he said.

Providing policemen with comfortable sleeping facilities, a clean washroom and toilet and a good meal are extremely necessary after a long and hectic duty to expect a better police service from them, Minister Weerasekara emphasised.

Secretary, Public Security Ministry, Major General (retired) Jagath Alwis and Police Chief, Chandana Wickramaratne were also present at the occasion.