Not I — We: A new uniform will mean nothing if the person inside it is left behind

Sri Lanka's Police marked its 160th anniversary, but the force needs reform beyond a new uniform, warns a former senior police official. The institution has been plagued by political influence, individual glory, and scrutiny on social media, making it unable to protect the country from international narcotics and financial crime.

The political and police authorities must decide whether the force serves the law or the loudest faction. A modern, sophisticated kit, including body-worn cameras and protective equipment, is essential for officers to detect threats and return home safely.

However, the priority should be developing a different person inside the uniform, who is mentally prepared for ordinary crime and communal, religious, and ethnic conflicts. This includes addressing communal suspicion, religious identity, and ethnic memory, which are not checked at the armoury gate.

The officer must be trained to handle these issues as deliberately as handling a baton. Loyalty should be to the law, not a person. The Sri Lankan Police Force, with its 79,000 members and 609 stations, must address a thin presence on the ground, high officer turnover, and inadequate welfare measures.

Recent successes, such as the interdiction of 463-472 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, must not be overshadowed by a process review that distracts from the achievement. A separate inquiry should be pursued on the record, focusing on the network, money, and criminal file, rather than turning it into a morality play.