The Sri Lanka Police commemorates Police Heroes’ Day on March 21. The policemen and policewomen are the guardians of the law. Today in spite of facing many challenges, the Sri Lanka Police remains a dependable first responder.
In the recent past, the actions of a few officers have terribly tarnished the image of the Police Service and earned the mistrust of the public. A few policemen have dishonoured the dignity of the gabardine uniform. But we must not forget the good work of decent police officers and this is a tribute to all those genuine men and women who serve with dedication and courage.
The majority of the Police Force continues to do a good job, often not appreciated by the public. In retrospect, almost 90 percent of policemen and policewomen serve in stations far away from home, working long hours. In comparison to the policemen who served 50 years ago, the men and women in active duty today face greater threats. In the recent past violent extremism has manifested into acts of terrorism. The Easter Sunday attack of 2019 is an example of how the police have to respond to highly dangerous threats within an urban environment. The policemen are often in the “first wave” of an attack as their duty positions them directly amidst the public.
A brief history
During the Portuguese rule in Ceylon, they did not have a Police Force. Subsequently, the Dutch gained control of the maritime provinces by 1658. The Colombo Municipality initiated a system of hiring paid guards to patrol Colombo city at night. Once the British began to rule Ceylon, the Office of the Fiscal was empowered to supervise basic police duties.
Governor Frederick North began to redefine the functions of the Police in 1805. Later he directed that Colombo city be divided into 15 divisions. Police Constables were recruited and trained. The Governor was keen to restructure the Police and made a request to the Governor of Bombay (now Mumbai) to recommend a diligent officer and Sir George William Campbell was duly sent to Ceylon. Campbell assumed duties as the first Chief Superintendent of Police on September 3, 1866. This date is recorded as the day that the uniformed Police Force was established in Ceylon. In 1867, the first Police Headquarters was set up in Maradana. The Police Headquarters was later shifted to Fort in 1932 from where it operates to this day. In 1947, Richard Aluwihare became the first Sri Lankan to be appointed as Inspector General of Police. He is credited with transforming the Force.
On March 21, 1864, the area of Mawanella in the Kegalle District was plagued by a gang of armed robbers. Led by Saradiel, these outlaws found refuge in a heavily forested terrain. A police raiding party had approached the location when one of the robbers named Mammale Marrikar shot Constable Sabhan wounding him fatally. He was the first policeman to die on duty. In this encounter, Saradiel was captured and justice delivered. Since then March 21 is commemorated as Police Heroes’ Day.
During the three decades of conflict, many police officers were killed and others remain disabled. Policemen played an important role in defending border villages alongside the Sri Lanka Army. They manned checkpoints by day and night. Some policemen excelled by detecting concealed explosives and saved many lives. Some of these silent heroes include DIG Charles Wijewardena (killed in Jaffna), DIG T.N. de Silva (killed in Colombo bomb blast 1999), SSP Chandra Perera (killed in Jaffna 1998), DIG Terrence Perera, Director Counter Subversive Unit (killed in 1987) and DIG Bennet Perera (Director CID killed 1989). Both SSP Ronnie Gunasinghe and SSP Sirimal Perera (PSO to the then President) were killed in the May Day bomb blast 1993.
In addition, a dark chapter unfolded in the Eastern Province in June 1990. The LTTE began attacking police stations. One of the brave Police Heroes in this episode was the late ASP Ivan Boteju who took charge of the Kalmunai Police Station. He had completed his tour of duty in the operational areas. Although outnumbered he motivated his men to return fire when the station came under attack. The police repulsed this attack. To his dismay, ASP Boteju was ordered to surrender by the topmost echelons in Colombo. These Police Heroes bravely defended their police station unto death and displayed the highest form of altruism.
Today police officers are the first responders to control violent protesters at public venues. In addition, policemen provide security to the esteemed courts and senior members of the judiciary. Highly trained policemen work in the close protection teams of VIPs.
STF heroes
Sri Lanka was plagued with many forms of internal insurgency from the South and later the North. In order to counter this, the Police Department established the Special Task Force (STF) in 1983. These officers received training in counter-insurgency operations and today play a pivotal role in the areas of counter terrorism, hostage rescue, bomb disposal and transport of high profile prisoners. The men and women serving within the STF have displayed high levels of teamwork and discipline. The STF can also be credited as the pioneers of VIP security in Sri Lanka. To date 464 Special Task Force personnel have been killed in the line of duty.
Among these heroes, three outstanding senior officers gallantly died in action. The first was ASP Sarath Mahinda Ratnaweerage (who was in the close protection team of the President at the May Day rally). ASP Sarath Mahinda died bravely and was posthumously promoted to the rank of SP. The explosion also killed Chief Inspector Upali Silva of the STF. The other senior STF officers who died in separate attacks were SSP Upali Sahabandu and SSP Upul Seneviratne - both were posthumously promoted to the rank of DIG.The great work done by the late DIG Sahabandu to uplift the STF Training Academy at Katukurunda will be remembered for decades. He was an exceptional human being and visionary leader.
The first death in the STF claimed the life of Inspector Weeratunga in 1984, when he was fatally wounded in a landmine blast. Chief Inspector Ashok Kumara and Inspector Renuka Karunaratne were killed in explosions along the Pottuvil road in the Eastern Province. Inspector Bathiya Sandanayake lost his life when he was accompanying an IPKF convoy that was attacked on the Batticaloa–Trincomalee road. It must be highlighted that there are many women in the STF serving in the ranks of Chief Inspector/Inspector/Sub- Inspector. Some of these lady officers serve as bodyguards to female VIPs, facing the same risk as their male colleagues. The time is conducive for the STF to promote a lady officer as their first female Assistant Superintendent of Police.
To date 3,100 officers of the Sri Lanka Police have been killed in the line of duty. Many have been awarded with the President’s Gallantry Medal. We must remember the sacrifice of these officers who laid down their lives, leaving behind their wives and children.
There are shortcomings in the Police Service, however we must give due credit to those who have died in the line of duty as we commemorate Police Heroes’ Day. The Police Service will hopefully strive to meet the new challenges that lie ahead in law enforcement earning the trust of the public, whilst drawing inspiration from their brave departed colleagues.
