S. B. W. de Silva, outstanding policeman of his time

B. A. Jeyanathan, Rtd DIG

The sudden death of retired Senior Superintendent of Police – Mr. S. B. WIMALASENA DE SILVA, fondly remembered as “SBW” in the Police Department, was an unexpected and great shock to most officers who associated with him and members of the many professional Associations in which he held high office.

I was with him at a meeting of a professional body on June 21, 2021 and dropped him after the meeting at his home at Welikadawatte around 8 p.m. On June 25 morning, whilst I was in the Narahenpita area, his daughter Dilum phoned to give me the shocking news of his collapse. I went to the Police Hospital to arrange an ambulance but unfortunately he had already passed away. Subsequently his body was taken to the Police mortuary where the PCR test and other formalities were completed. Before his death he had told his family to hand his body to the Medico-Legal Association where he was once President.

A native of Kottegoda in the Matara District, he had his primary and secondary education at Mahinda College Galle. He was a Regimental Sergeant Major at the Ceylon Cadet Corps and a Senior Prefect of the Hostel and the School. He was also an able debater and a member of the English and Sinhala debating teams, and also a member of the English and Sinhala dramatic societies.

He joined the Police Department as a Probationary Sub-Inspector in January 1956. In 1984 when he was holding the rank of Senior Superintendent of Police, he decided to throw in the towel and retire prematurely at the age of 51-years due to some of his juniors being promoted DIG over him despite his excellent career in the Police. Normally Police officers only retire at age 60, and SBW had nine years ahead of him to legitimately climb the ladder to to the rank of Inspector General of Police. But he chose to forego that mainly on his principle of respecting the line of seniority in the Department. Regrettably, senior officers including the then IGP made no effort to rectify the wrong done to him and persuade him not to take early retirement.

During his police career he held very prestigious positions both in the field as well as specialized units like Training Institutions, Criminal Investigation Department, Special Branch, Sri Lanka Police College and many others.

When he was an Inspector, he was nominated to undergo training on criminal investigation at the Central Detective Training School in Calcutta. This course was attended by many senior Asian police officers. At the end of the course he was adjudged the best student. He attended another training course on general police work at the Metropolitan Police Training School, Hendon, London. There too he was adjudged the best trainee. He also attended a few other training courses conducted by the British Police on Criminal Investigation and Police work.

He held several prestigious positions and was a member of many professional organizations such as the Medico-Legal Society of Sri Lanka, Executive Committee of the Asia Crime Prevention Foundation, Industrial Security Foundation, Sri Lanka Institute of Training and Development and the Retired Senior Police Officers Association (RSPOA).

He demonstrated his skills in crime investigation, training and administration and general police work. He was one of the best trainers the Sri Lanka Police ever had and attained the pinnacle of his career through dint of hard work and commitment; he was never known to seek political patronage, a trait which cost him promotions. His contribution to the Police and achievements during his service and post-retirement, are so vast that it will not be possible to re-produce them here.

In 1960 when I was a Sub-Inspector at the Harbour Police, I was transferred to the Crime Branch of the Pettah Police Station. SBW, though not in charge of the branch as there was a senior OIC there, handled all criminal investigations. He became my teacher, mentor and guide showing me how to conduct investigations and prosecutions. He was scrupulously honest and would not make false entries and never taught me to concoct evidence or make false entries during the course of an investigation.

He was a practical policeman. Whenever a serious crime was reported, he would first go to the scene of crime to conduct the investigation. He carried a brief case with a measuring tape, a foot ruler, magnifying glass, chalk markers and a few more items necessary to survey the scene of crime and draw a map of the place. Whenever we went for an investigation to a scene of crime, he taught us how to make our observations carefully. He would make us inspect and examine every inch of the scene and surrounding areas to look for clues. He would organize tables and benches for us to sit at and conduct the investigation then and there, writing our notes at the scene itself rather than on our return to the Police Station. His notes or the notes made by us on his instructions, were most helpful in proving cases.

His skills were amply demonstrated in the Kalattawa murder case in Anuradhapura, where he headed a team of investigators who gathered evidence necessary to obtain a conviction in a sensational case.

A few days of the week are routinely allocated to each Colombo Police Station, known as Court Days, in the Magistrate Court of Colombo. The Pettah Police had two court days and as a member of the Crime Branch, he would attend courts and personally prosecute in cases. He also made certain that I too followed the same practice. The Magistrates and senior lawyers had high regard and respect for SBW. If he got into the box to give evidence, nobody disputed his evidence and many lawyers refrained from cross examining him. The judges respected him and never doubted his evidence. SBW wanted young officers, some of them senior sergeants, to learn how to conduct investigations, how to write notes of observations at the scene of crime and how to gather evidence and prosecute at the Magistrates Courts.

He was a friendly person but had high standards in the choice of his friends. Politicians had a sort of “love-hate” relationship with him. They loved him because he was honest, efficient and impartial, but hated him because they could not get anything illegal done through him.

After retirement he was a much sought lecturer both by the Police Department and other professional bodies. He became a member of the Retired Senior Police Officers Association RSPOA) and was an active member. He was mostly responsible for drawing up its Constitution, Rules and Regulations and administrative procedures. In 2009, the RSPOA and was incorporated by an Act of Parliament. I being its President then had his strong support and that of the late GB Dissanyake in all the work involved. SBW has been a member of the RSPOA for a record number of years, headed it once as President and was the most senior member of the three-member Board of Trustees elected to monitor its financial transactions.

Due to the present pandemic, the RSPOA could not organize a fitting farewell or a ceremonial funeral which he deserved as gratitude from the Police Department and the RSPOA. His body was laid in a funeral parlour in Borella and on June 27 many members of the Exco of the RSPOA led by its President and many senior retired Police Officers paid their last respects before his body was taken to the Medico-Legal Association according to his wishes.

He was a devout Buddhist and lived a very simple life according to the teachings of the Buddha.

The Police Department lost a brilliant officer when he retired prematurely in 1984. The RSPOA has suffered an irreparable loss. He leaves his beloved wife Dharma, three daughters Rishanthi, Dilum and Anoopa, son-in-law and grandson.

We, the members of the RSPOA mourn his death and extend our deepest sympathies to his wife and family.

“May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana”