Territorial policing in Ratnapura and a dreaded transfer to Jaffna

(Excerpted from the memoirs of Senior DIG (Retd.)
Kinglsley Wickramasuriya)

When I took over Ratnapura Division I found that there were a large number of pending disciplinary inquiries and out of this many were the cases where the charge-sheeted officers have been interdicted from service for trivial reasons that I considered to be unjust punishment. I called for all those files where disciplinary inquiries were pending from the ‘Strength Clerk’ and went through them one by one burning the midnight oil.

I worked on them even during weekends and saw to it that those that had been interdicted unjustly were reinstated. At the same time, I saw to it that the accumulation of those delayed inquiries was expeditiously disposed of and justice meted out.

While at Ratnapura, I started experimenting with the inspection methodology that I learned under DIG CR Arndt and systematizing my inspections of Police stations, visits, and night rounds so that I knew exactly what I was going to do next. With this, I kept up the surprise element in the Division so that no one knew at what moment and where I would surface. I eventually prepared a ‘Handbook of Inspections’, a virtual guideline for inspections based on management principles for the guidance of inspecting officers. Furthermore, I devoted my free time to developing the sports talent in the Division which enabled the Division win the coveted prize for seven-a-side Rugger.

The MP for Ratnapura once dropped in at my office and made representations on behalf of one of his constituents against Kuruvita Police and wished that I direct Kuruwita Police to take action that would favor his constituent. Accordingly, I made inquiries and found that OIC Kuruwita had acted properly. I informed the MP accordingly and left it at that. But the MP wouldn’t accept the position. He appeared in my office a second time and wanted me to do things the way he wanted.

When I made it clear that that was not possible, he threatened to have me transferred alleging that he knew what I was doing when I was in the ISD covering the UNP etc. I was surprised how he knew what I was doing in the ISD as what I did there was on a ‘need to know’ basis unless somebody inside had squealed against me. I told the MP that what I did at the ISD was none of his business and dared him to arrange a transfer for me as that would be the best that could happen to me at that time.

I had come to Ratnapura on transfer from the ISD because of the IGP’s position on promotions. By then I had come to a situation where I was sick of moving house now and then, and particularly arranging transfers for my wife whenever I went on transfer. Once she nearly lost her job owing to the Education Department’s difficulty in finding her a suitable school in an area to which I was assigned. Finally, having found a school in Colombo on my transfer to ISD, I decided to leave the family behind in case of future transfers.

Here in Ratnapura, I was without my family and was going through enormous difficulties, running a house. However, I had an understanding with the IG Ana Seneviratne who knew my problems that he would bring me back to Colombo at the earliest possible time. So, a transfer would have been very welcome. Nevertheless, I stood by the action taken by the OIC despite the MP’s threat, as that was the proper action to take.

In another instance when 1 walked into the Ratnapura police station one morning, I found Mr. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, well-known as a prominent activist of the left, seated on a bench inside the station. I inquired why he was there and was told that he had been detained for hoisting a black flag on the road opposite the police station in protest against the government on some political issues.

When I went into the matter, I found that this was a bailable offence where a person need not be detained. Accordingly, I instructed the HQI to release him on bail without allowing him to become a ‘hero’ at the expense of the police action. As a result of his release, we avoided him making an issue out of the incident.

During the rainy season, Ratnapura town and the surrounding area get flooded. During this period police are called upon to play the good Samaritan rescuing stranded people, distributing dry rations to those marooned, and operating other emergency services. Floods sometimes cut my bungalow off from the rest of the town and I had to be transported by boat. Police depended on the Navy for boats for rescue operations and these boats were very useful for such duty. We had to work in close collaboration with the Government Agent and his staff in carrying out flood relief work. So the SSP Ratnapura and the Government Agent worked in close collaboration to provide relief to the community at such times. As a result, we developed a close relationship.

Meanwhile I did a round of inspections of several police stations in the Division on the new lines learned under DIG Arndt, developing a new management approach to inspections of Police Stations. Several OICs of stations treasured the reports I gave them based on how they managed their stations. They kept copies of extracts for future reference.

I too drew immense satisfaction from the results I achieved at these inspections. They were not mere `book inspections’ but real value-added assessments that gave proper directions to the OICs showing their strengths and weaknesses.

The exposition of ‘Kapilavastu relics’ was another important event during my tour of duty at Ratnapura. The sacred relics were brought to Avissawella and Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake graced the occasion. All security arrangements were arranged by me. Range DIG Sylvester Joseph was on hand to supervise the arrangements. The event passed without any untoward incident.

The much wanted transfer finally came in August 1978 to Mount Lavinia Division, thanks to IG Police, Ana Seneviratne who kept his word.

Mount Lavinia

Mt. Lavinia and Moratuwa Police Districts came under the Division. There was much crime reported at Mt. Lavinia police station. So much so that officers attached to the Crime Branch were unable to make use of their leave and were under heavy work pressure. Looking for ways to ease this pressure, I came upon a system of community policing adopted by my predecessor, Superintendent Vamadevan used during the communal riots.

That was mostly a system of joint `Neighborhood Watch’ by the citizens and the Police. I revived the system by establishing Neighborhood Patrols throughout the police station area with some success proving that ‘prevention is better than cure.’

Before my taking over the Division a mutinous situation had taken place at the Moratuwa police station where several juror officers had reported ‘sick’ over some issue. I became aware of it when the disciplinary inquiry file came to me after the completion of the disciplinary inquiry.

I took a very serious view of the breakdown in the discipline where even officers on probation had participated. I recommended severe punishment for the miscreants. The DIG, however, took a different view and dealt with those found guilty leniently.

Motor races and Bellanwila Perahera were two other major events that I had to look after during this period. In both these officers from outside the division had to be brought in for special duty. Looking after their discipline and welfare was a major and difficult commitment that needed previous planning and proper organization.

Motor races in Mount Lavinia were an ad hoc event organized at the behest of Minister Athulathmudali who was the MP for the area. I used a double-decker bus as my Command Room from where I could survey the entire area of operation. This was a new experiment I carried out later to be used successfully at the Bellanwila Perehara as well. The minister commended the security arrangements made for the motor races and was pleased that everything went well.

The Mount Lavinia police station was in a dilapidated state and was due for repairs. Having received funds to build a new police station the foundation stone was laid. Minister Lalith Athulathmudali and Range DIG Sylvester Joseph were present on the occasion.

Barely a year had passed when I was suddenly called up by the IG to his office and asked to go in charge of the Jaffna Division. DIG Cyril Herath who was in charge of the Northern Range was also with him. From their conversation, I understood that they were in a bit of a difficult situation to find someone to go in charge of the Jaffna Division. IG said that it was only for one year and that one year of service in the North was being made mandatory for all officers in the Department.

It was difficult to say NO to either officer, IG Ana Seneviratne or DIG Cyril Herath, and back out of the situation for they were two officers in the Department for whom I had the highest respect. Fearful though of the uncertain situation in Jaffna because of the prevailing political violence, I agreed to the transfer.

When I came home and informed the family of the impending transfer to Jaffna, they were highly agitated. I decided to go alone without the family leaving them behind in Colombo promising them that they could join me during the school holidays. Anyway, going to Jaffna was a fearful proposition not knowing what exactly was in store for you. That being how I felt about the transfer you can just imagine what the family situation may have been.

Apart from my security, I had to worry about running a house. Although the security situation had changed, government regulations regarding establishment matters had not. As a result, we had, to fend for ourselves as in a normal situation and bear the additional burden.

Jaffna (Community Policing Experiment)

So, I took the train and reported to Jaffna on August 5, 1979. I was picked up at Jaffna’s end by the HQl Gunasinghe who was waiting for me. There was a huge bungalow of Dutch vantage inside Jaffna Fort that was to be my official residence. Adjoining was the King’s House where the VIPs stayed when visiting Jaffna. My house was equipped with a few pieces of government furniture, an iron bed, a few chairs, etc.

A civilian office peon was prepared to cook for me. My driver was quartered in the nearby single men’s barracks and was available in an emergency. My office was just outside the Jaffna Fort. Inside the Fort were some tennis courts where some civilians played.

I came to Jaffna at a time when the government had declared a state of Emergency and sent Brigadier (Bull) Weeratunga with troops with an edict from President J.R. Jayewardene to annihilate terrorism in the North within 72 hours. The general atmosphere in the entire peninsular was one of eerie silence.

By 6.00 pm the entire peninsula would put up shutters and there was hardly a soul to be seen on the streets after dark. Fear, mistrust, and suspicion were the order of the day. So much so, that once when I visited Kankesanturai (KKS) the ASP told me that he would not go even to the toilet without his weapon.

But after about two weeks in Jaffna, I found that everybody including the police had misread the prevailing general situation.

Crimes were being committed by ordinary criminals blaming them on LTTE and going Scot-free. With the army moving in, the hardcore LTTE cadres left the shores and fled to South India. It was easy for ordinary criminals, therefore, to go on the spree pretending to be LTTE. With this assessment of the situation, I went before the Police in Jaffna HQ station and later all over the peninsular urging them that the solution lies with the community cooperating with the police and urging launching a campaign to solicit police – community cooperation. But the police were skeptical that anything worthy will result from such an approach. Their response was negative.

Albeit this negative attitude of the police, I decided to summon a meeting of the leading citizens of Jaffna town and I was careful to include TULF supporters among the participants. The Mayor of Jaffna Visvanathan was one prominent among them. All OICs of stations in the peninsula were also summoned to witness the proceedings.

In my opening speech, I analyzed the crime situation in the peninsula and the fear created thereby and convinced the audience that crimes were being committed by ordinary criminals in the guise of terrorists taking advantage of the current situation and that the need of the hour was public support for police to contain this trend successfully. My appeal for public support went down well with the audience and their response was positive.

Not even two weeks elapsed after the first meeting at Jaffna HQ that a case of public intervention in a robbery of an old couple in the Kopay Police Station area was reported. A few members of the public had grappled with the robbers, arrested them, and handed them over to the police. On hearing of this, I immediately proceeded to the police station, summoned those members of the public who braved the incident, and presented them with a letter of commendation for their bravery. The event was given wide publicity in the local press.

I went around to the other police stations as well with the same message to be hailed by the participants as a positive step with the promise of cooperation.This demonstration of support for the police from the community proved to the police that their negative assessment was faulty and that there was a large measure of goodwill flowing that has to be organized and sustained. I was wracking my brain about how to achieve this objective when suddenly I came upon an idea that helped me solve the problem.

Thinking of a solution I was alarmed that the current trend was one of a movement that had placed popular trust in me. This was not at all conducive to sustainability. If the movement was to continue even after I left confidence needed to be placed not on a personality but on a system or an organization. So, I decided to design a system that would be in the hands of the local people rather than on an individual.

Evolving of Police-Public Relations Committees in respect of each police station was the result. The Committees worked according to a given Constitution adopted by each Committee based on power-sharing and democratic principles. I went around the peninsula once again to each police station explaining the scheme and establishing the committees. The main idea was to bring the police closer to the community in a collaborative effort to ensure safety, peace, and harmony in the community.

To bolster this scheme police organized sports meets and celebrations during the Sinhala / Tamil New Year period as usually done by the police in the other areas of the country. People enjoyed these events immensely and thanked the police for their leadership. I was invited to several places for the distribution of prizes which I gladly did accompanied by my wife.

While I was in the process of ‘winning the hearts and minds’ of the community it was also important to win the confidence of the Catholic Church. Inspector Pathmanathan attached to Jaffna HQ Police Station paved the way for this. He took me to the Bishop of Jaffna and after a cordial conversation and explanation of what I was doing in Jaffna to restore peace and harmony, I was able to win his support for my campaign. Eventually, we were able to celebrate Christmas with Police Christmas Carols with the Police Band and the Cultural Troupe of the Police Reserve in attendance.

Apart from all this activity, considering the influence the TULF had on the general population in the area I thought it prudent to establish a rapport with its hierarchy if my program was to be successful. So, the Police—Community Relations program opened the door for a relationship with the TULF as well. I was open handed in my response to various requests made by the TULF that I could be generous with.

The high command was treated with all due courtesy and respect. After all, Mr. Appapillai Amirthalingam was the Leader of the Opposition. As the law order situation improved and tranquility returned in the peninsula, I paid a courtesy call t o him and briefed him about the law and order situation in the peninsula and my Police—Community Program.

He was pleased that I was doing my best to serve the people and promised every possible support stating that he did not wish to see any more bloodshed in the region. Taking this opportunity later and on the instructions of IG Police, I arranged a conference of all the Police — Community Relations Committees of the peninsula to review the work they have done. Mr. Amitralingam graced the occasion as the chief guest. Te event was attended by DIG (NR) P. Mahendran. Jaffna GA was represented by his Deputy.

Addressing the gathering Leader of the Opposition spoke of the bitter relations with the police that he and his wife had experienced in the past and that he was happy the situation has changed for the better with a word of praise for the work being done by the PCR Committees. He was empathetic toward the difficulties the police officers were undergoing. He repeated these sentiments in Parliament when he spoke on November 26, 1980 (Hansard Column 881-882).

Further, in the course of participating in these PCR meetings, I had the occasion to listen to some of the difficulties that the people faced in their transactions with the police. One major problem was the difficulty faced by the public in courts on account of the first complaint being recorded by police officers not proficient in the Tamil language. The maority of policemen were Sinhala speaking,

To overcome this problem, I immediately made internal arrangements to ensure that as far as possible Tamil Speaking officers were put on ‘Reserve Duty’ so that the first complaint is properly recorded to circumvent the legal problems in courts.

In addition, I started Tamil classes for Sinhala speaking officers with the help of volunteers and offered them all facilities in the study of the language. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the opportunity of learning the language myself as nearly all those came in contact with in my daily routine, spoke either in English or was conversant in Sinhala. Even my office peon whom I had given strict instructions to speak to me in Tamil avoided doing so. Nevertheless, this disability did not deter me from being close to the ordinary man on the street.