The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) on Thursday ordered the police to dispose of the tear gas stocks past expiry datesThe Committee has called in the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, the Inspector General of Police, and many senior police officers, for a meeting, and attention was also drawn to the shelf life expired tear gas belonging to the police.
Senior police officers informed COPA that the process of disposal of date expired tear gas has started and they will never be used.However, the Chair of the Committee asked the police to prepare and submit a report on the measures taken to control public riots, including the use of tear gas.
Chair of the Committee on Public Accounts, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, informed the Department of Police to provide a report on their proposed plan to increase their efficiency, using information technology.
COPA members pointed out that the department of police was asked to provide a similar plan when they were called before COPA in 2016. The Inspector General of Police said that since it is difficult to set up a single information technology system for the Sri Lanka Police, steps will be taken to introduce information technology systems, in segments.
The IGP said that a new pilot project is currently being implemented in Hatton and Nuwara Eliya Police Stations where a digital system has been established, allowing people to check the status of their complaints, digitally.
The Committee Chair said that there should be a digital system, integrating the police with the Motor Transport Department and other relevant institutions. COPA asked the IGP to furnish a report on how to do that within a month.
Issues, such as the lack of female police officers, in the Sri Lanka Police, were also addressed. It was disclosed that there are vacancies for 2419 female police constables. Although these vacancies were to be filled by 2023, this can’t be done, due to the current economic situation, the officials told COPA.
The IGP said a reform programme has been initiated to provide equal opportunities for women to climb the hierarchical ladder in the police department.
Special attention was also paid to the need to improve the language skills of police officers. Senior police officers pointed out that many programmes have been started to impart Tamil and English language skills to police officers. The Committee emphasized the need to streamline those activities.
Issues related to police promotions, police reward fund management, road accident control, crime control and other problems and their solutions were also discussed.
State Ministers Kader Mastan, Prasanna Ranaweera, Mohan Priyadarshana de Silva, Diana Gamage, and Members of Parliament Tissa Attanayake, A. L. M. Athaullah, J. C. Alawathuwala, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Manjula Dissanayake, Mudita Prashanthi, D. Weerasingha, (Dr.) Major Pradeep Undugoda, Ashok Abeysinghe, and (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya were present at the Committee meeting.
