Author name: Tharindu Withanage

The new Police Post, Badowita in the Grama Niladhari Division of Katukurunduwatta Badowita of Police Area, Mount Lavinia was declared open on 01.01.2025 under the leadership of Hon. Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs – Mr. Ravi Senaviratne and Acting Inspector General of Police Mr. Priyantha Weerasuriya (Attorney-at-Law). There are 3250 houses in the Katukurunduwatta Grama Niladhari Division and the total population of the area is approximately 12990. Having established the new Police Post, it is expected to provide more efficient Police service to the residents, while strengthening the information network to combat drugs and crime in the area. Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Western Province – Mr. K. P. Mahinda Gunaratne, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge Western Province South Range – Mr. Gayantha Marapana, Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of Mount Lavinia Division – Mr. Prasanna Brahmanage and Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of Nugegoda Division – Mr. Mangala Dehideniya participated in this event.

A new technological project implemented by the Sri Lanka Police under the Clean Sri Lanka national programme was introduced to the public at the Police Headquarters on 01.01.2025 under the patronage of Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasooriya, the Acting Inspector General of Police. The project has introduced an app called ‘Sri Lanka Police eTraffic’, which allows obtaining information from among the public to identify traffic offenders with the view of reducing traffic accidents. The facility to download this app by visiting the official website of Sri Lanka Police, www.police.lk, and clicking the e-service icon, has been offered.  (Link – https://www.police.lk/?page_id=647) It is possible to upload photos or videos of vehicles driving recklessly on the road violating traffic rules and of reckless drivers. The photos and videos will be monitored by the operation room at the Police Headquarters and forwarded to the relevant investigation bodies for law enforcement.

Hon. Ananda Wijayapala, Minister of Public Security, Senior Deputy Inspector General (Retired) Ravi Seneviratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, and Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasooriya, Acting Inspector General of Police, have visited the Narahenpita Hospital on the evening of 01.01.2025 to inquire about the well-being of the police officers receiving inpatient treatment at the said hospital.

celebrated the beginning of the new year 2025 and the took the oath before the Inspector General of Police by the staff of the Sri Lanka Police, which is dedicated to maintain law, order and public security, was held on the morning of 01.01.2025 at the Police Headquarters premises with the participation of a number of senior officers and a number of police officers representing various divisions. A New Year food table was beautifully organized for the police officers, which was hosted by the Police Headquarters, and the Inspector General of Police has instructed the police officers to carry out their future work successfully and to make their maximum contribution on behalf the public.

The annual year-end overnight Pirith chanting ceremony conducted by the Sri Lanka Police, invoking blessings for the new year, was held at the Police Headquarters on the night of 30.12.2024 under the patronage of Hon. Ananda Wijayapala, Minister of Public Security, and with the participation of Mr. Ravi Seneviratne, Senior Deputy Inspector General (Retired), Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, and the Acting Inspector General of Police Mr. Priyantha Weerasooriya. In line with the pirith chanting ceremony, the morning almsgiving ceremony for 25 Buddhist monks was also held at the Gangarama Temple on the following day, i.e. 31.12.2024. Many police officers including retired Inspectors Generals of Police and senior police officers participated in these meritorious deeds.

A 5-day workshop on public speaking and compering was held at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation in order to build up better public relations by improving the communication skills of police officers. Having conducted interviews by the Police Media Division, 40 officers among the police officers island-wide, who possess communication skills, were selected for the respective workshop. • Mr. Wasantha Rohana, Senior Compere  • Mr. T. D. K. Jayantha, Former Director General of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, Senior Compere • Ms. Asanka Weerasinghe, Speech Language Pathologist  • Mr. Himananda Rajapaksha, Program Director, Veteran Compere  • Ms. Dinusha Wettasinghe, Veteran Compere • Ms. Inusha Weebedda, Veteran Compere • Mr Manjula Weerasingha from the Research Branch • Palitha Jayathilaka, Senior Organizer, were participants in this workshop as resource persons, and at the end of the workshop, a valuable certificate was awarded to the participants by holding a certificate function ceremoniously at the Kumaratunga Hall of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation on 30.12.2024. For this function, Prof. Uditha Gayashan Gunasekara, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation; Senior Superintendent of Police Buddhika Manathunga, Police Media Spokesman and Director of Police Media Division; Chief Inspector of Police Vineetha Jayasekara, Officer in Charge of Police Media Division; Mrs. Lalani Wickramaraja, Director (Sinhala) Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation; and Mr. Lalith Wickramasinghe, Assistant Director, City FM also participated.

Giving away of a financial voucher for the children of Police Officers who are going to enter grade 1 happens every year under the patronage of  the Sri Lanka Police Buddhist and Religious Affairs Association and the Police Health and Welfare Scheme enabling them to perches a school bag and a pair of shoes.  The gifting of vouchers to children starting their school life in 2025 was also held in the morning of 31.12.2024 under the leadership of Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Priyantha Weerasooriya.  This voucher will be issued by their police division within a short period of time to all police officers on duty across the island who are entitled to it.   

The ceremony of awarding certificates and badges for two batches of Police officers, who have successfully completed Police Traffic Management Course which makes police officers qualified to manage traffic and drive police vehicles as skillful traffic officers, was held on 24.12.2024 under the leadership of Mr. Priyantha Weerasuriya (Attorney-at-Law), Acting Inspector General of Police, at the Police Criminal Records Division, Colombo. The course is held under two categories. Senior Traffic Management Course is conducted for Inspector Grade Police officers and Junior Traffic Management Course is conducted for Junior Grade Police officers. Accordingly, badges and certificates were awarded to 119 Inspector Grade Police officers who have successfully completed the Senior Traffic Management Course as the 22nd batch, and 96 Junior Grade Police officers who completed the Junior Traffic Management Course as the 44th batch. Inspector General of Police, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Crime and Traffic, Mr. Ranmal Kodituwakku, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Traffic and Road Safety Range, Mr. Indika Hapugoda, Director of Traffic and Administration Division, Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr. Manoj Ranagala, and a number of senior police officers have participated in the ceramony.