Police officers to be transferred every year

Police officers are to be moved out from stations every year under a new scheme to be implemented from January 1 next year, Inspector General N.K. Ilangakoon said yesterday.

The idea, he told the Sunday Times, was to prevent police of- ficers from spending longer periods in one station – a practice that has often led to a variety of complaints.

He said the new transfer policy came on a recommendation of the Public Service Commission.

The IGP said the scheme would be worked out on a simi- lar transfer system in existence for public servants.

The Police Chief said there were instances where some officers had been in one station for more than 10 years.

IGP Ilangakoon said he believed the Police Department would be able to get the maximum benefit of the officers by transferring them to different stations every year, enabling them to draw experience by working in different conditions. He said the new transfer lists were being worked out but declined to give details.

However, other Police sources said that an estimated 5,000 police officers would be transfer- red.

Under the scheme there would be no opportunity to obtain midyear transfers, except in cases of transfers on disciplinary grounds.

A spokesperson for the PSC said that there would also be no sudden transfers which inconvenience the officers.