Features
B. R. Dole – Superintendent of Police
Bala Ram (BR) Dole joined the Police Department as a young Sub Inspector on 1 May, 1935. This was during the tenure of Sir Herbert Layard Dowbiggin, Inspector General of Police in Ceylon between 1913 and 1937.
As a Sub-Inspector he served the police stations at China Bay, Trincomalee and Avissawella. On his promotion to the rank of Inspector of Police on 1 May, 1945, he was called to duty at Padukka, Habaraduwa, Eheliyagoda and Baddegama police stations. Thereafter, on promotion to the rank of Headquarters Inspector (HQI) on 1 January, 1954, he was posted in charge of Tangalle HQ police station and then as HQI Galle.
On 1 May, 1955, he was promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police and was in charge of the Police Districts of Avissawella, Kelaniya, Colombo Central, and Nugegoda. Promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police on 1 May, 1965, he was in charge of Southern Province with Headquarters at Galle. He became the first Muslim/Malay to be promoted as a Superintendent of the Ceylon Police that year.
It was in September 1967 that I received transfer orders to Galle under the supervision of Superintendent Dole. The Galle Police Division at that time consisted of three Police Districts – Galle (Coastal), Galle (Inland) and Ambalangoda. The Inland District of the Galle Division had fallen vacant on the sudden demise of the Assistant Superintendent in charge of that Police District, Wijesinghe (fondly referred to as ‘Lanka Matha’). I was to succeed him. The other two Districts were in the charge of M/s. Assen (Galle Coastal) and W.B. Rajaguru (Ambalangoda), later to become the 25th Inspector-General. Eventually, the team was joined by the Probationary Assistant Superintendent Kotakadeniya, under training.
Superintendent Dole was a father figure. His style of work was orthodox. Therefore, it was easy to work with him. He attended regular parades, where I presented the parade to him as ASP Galle (Coastal). He did his quota of Night Rounds and carried out periodic inspections of Police Stations, as required by Departmental Orders.
Sri Lanka’s First Malay Senior Superintendent of Police
He had a private vehicle, a Humber Hawk, a big comfortable car in which he used to get about on official business. Even though he, as a Superintendent of Police, had access to a government vehicle, he preferred to use his private vehicle for official duties and use the allocated travel allowance. The Assistant Superintendents too had to find their own private transport, with a government car loan being made available along with a travel allowance. So, when making claims for reimbursement of travel expenses the claimants had to keep meticulous records based on the weekly diaries that had to be maintained to support the work done on a daily basis.
He being a family man, we were treated like family, Dole joining us on social occasions with his wife Nona Injan Cassim, and children Mudrika Dole Buckman, Nilanjali Dole, Baba Hashim Dole, Lilibeth Dole Thajudeen, Romani Dole Saldin and Baba Rohan Dole together with Officers in Charge of the Police Stations and staff that helped keep the esprit de corps intact. M/S Samaradasa, Bejamin, Navaratnam, Boteju and Gaya Pattikirikorale are some of the few who were amongst the OICC Stations. Unawatuna Beach was a ready source of recreation, where everybody enjoyed a dip.
It would be remiss of me not to mention Dr. Dhanayake, MP for Galle, concerning our stay in Galle. Dr. Dhanayake played a prominent part in Public life. He was a legend for having brought many a public servant to grief for failure to do their duty right. I was warned on my transfer to Galle by many that he would be a tough customer to deal with.
Surprisingly enough I had an easy passage with him. The only time he ever spoke to me was when some party made representation to him about a police assault against the Habaraduwa Police. Satisfied with the immediate action taken personally by me to look into the representation made, I was left alone to carry on with my duties. Most of the time it was his amiable Secretary, Vijaya Dhanayake who referred matters to me on the MP’s behalf. Vijaya appreciated the professional way I was getting about my duties. That went a long way to performing smoothly in Galle, contrary to the premonitions given on transfer.
I left Galle on transfer to the Intelligence Services Division in September 1969.
Dole was promoted Superintendent Grade I on 1 May, 1970, and was transferred to Police Headquarters in charge of the Crimes Division, from where he retired in November 1972. He passed away in January 2004 leaving behind six grandchildren, Sherwan, Sajehan, Saliman Buckman, heading the list and their parents.
This note is made in fond memory of Superintendent of Police Bala Ram Dole, inspired by his grandson Sherwan Buckman, on his death anniversary.
Dr. Kingsley Wickremasuriya
Senior Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Retd.)