Sri Lanka Police held a ceremony yesterday (25) to send off 50 motorcycle teams consisting of 100 specially trained Police officers by the Special Task Force (STF) after successful completion of two weeks training at the Katukurunda Police Special Task ForceCamp in Kalutara with the aim of curbing underworld and organized crime related activities in the Western and Southern provinces.
This new operation in the Western and Southern provinces by the 50 motorcycle teams with 100 specially trained STF Police officers has been launched from yesterday, under the instructions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon in parallel to the ongoing ‘Yukthiya’ special operation which is conducted across the country to crack down underworld crimes and drug trafficking activities. They will travel to cover specially identified police domains in the Western and Southern provinces, and will be operational to track down criminals immediately and arrest them.
The motorcycles for the new squadron was handed over by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles at the Katukurunda Police STF camp.The new 50 motorcycle teams with 100 Police officers will operate in the Western and Southern Provinces in parallel with the STF motorcycle teams.
Addressing the 100 specially trained officers before the send off, Minister Alles said that the main goal was to eliminate those involved in criminal activities in the country. He urged the Police officers not to fear using their weapons for the right cause, emphasizing that the authorities will provide their support to the officers for the right actions carried out.
Minister Alles said that more special teams will be deployed if the current squadrons are insufficient to achieve their target. “We have a goal. All Police officers are aware of the goal. All I want is to reach the goal. We have increased your salaries and other perks. All I expect from you is to strive towards our goal,” the Minister added.
Varuna Dayaratne