brand logo

Police versus police

14 Nov 2022

With the recent incident where the Police arrested two female protestors who were marching towards the Galle Face Green from Kalutara demanding the release of activists detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act (PTA), public opposition against the Police has entered a new phase. Now, the public discourse on Police oppression – which, thus far, focused on the issues faced by the general public – actively seeks better treatment for junior Police officers, and female Police officers.   During the said incident, a male Police officer, who appeared to be a senior officer, was seen manhandling several female Police officers, who seemed to be under the command of the former. According to video evidence of the incident, while the arrest of the two protestors was taking place, he violently pushed these female officers while scolding them to do a better job. This incident has led to a movement that demands immediate, stern action against the male Police officer, and it focuses on the rights of junior and female officers to be treated humanely by their superiors. This incident requires several investigations.  First and foremost, when the arrest of the two women took place, there was a tense situation where the Police almost clashed with the protestors and their supporters while trying to manhandle them. According to videos of the incident, it was predominantly the Police that instigated a tense situation, and we cannot ignore the fact that incidents where the Police unjustifiably obstructed and antagonised peaceful protesters were quite prevalent during the past few months. In this context, the tense situation seems to be more or less a result of the Police’s behavior. Essentially, the opposition expressed by the protestors or their supporters is a reaction to what they faced. On what grounds the Police wanted to stop the protest march, and whether those grounds are justifiable and are in accordance with the law/Constitution, should be at the centre of the investigations into the incident.  At the same time, a separate investigation should be launched to find out whether the male Police officer in question used excessive powers when dealing with his subordinates. While there is no doubt that the Police officers who were involved in the above-mentioned incident were working in a stressful situation, no legal system condones manhandling junior Police officers in such a violent and aggressive manner, and the incident in question was certainly not one that warrants any amount of violence or aggression. What is more, with seniority comes a great level of calmness, lawfulness and responsibility, which were hardly displayed by the said male Police officer. This also raises a question as to how effective the training that Police officers receive is, with regard to handling tense situations. What sort of responsibility should the male Police officer take, what sort of disciplinary action should be taken, and what remedies will be available for the affected female Police officers, are questions that need to be answered through a proper investigation.  The question that keeps popping up on social media platforms with regard to this incident is: “if this is how senior Police officers treat female/junior Police officers in broad daylight, what assurance do we have about the manner in which Police officers treat their juniors and civilians inside Police stations?” That is a serious question the Police force must answer, and proper investigations with tangible results is the best answer it can give.  


More News..