{
  "id": 12838554,
  "title": "After 39 years, Sri Kumar prepares for life beyond the police force",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/after-39-years-sri-kumar-prepares-for-life-beyond-the-police-force",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-08T09:44:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/10/1550634/after-39-years-sri-kumar-prepares-life-beyond-police-force"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "After nearly four decades of service in the police force, Datuk M.V. Sri Kumar is preparing to retire on Sunday. His career, spanning nearly 39 years, has been filled with challenging assignments and significant achievements. Sri Kumar began his police career in 1988, serving in jungle operations before a pivotal encounter during the 1989 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kuala Lumpur. This encounter, involving the elite Special Action Unit, sparked his desire to join UTK. After years of rigorous training, Sri Kumar became the top performer in the UTK selection course in 1992, marking the beginning of his 26-year tenure with the unit. During his time with UTK, Sri Kumar specialised in close protection, tactical operations, and explosives. He served as a security detail for numerous international leaders, including former U.S. President Barack Obama and former British Prime Minister John Major. Sri Kumar also trained American special forces personnel in close protection, earning high praise for his practical approach. While much of his operational history remains classified, Sri Kumar highlighted his role in coordinating police operations during the Covid-19 pandemic, emphasising the importance of effective communication and crisis management. His greatest legacy, however, lies in the establishment of the police Negotiation Cell, which he helped develop and for which he designed the unit's crest. Sri Kumar believes that the human touch remains crucial in crisis situations, as artificial intelligence lacks the emotional understanding required for effective crisis management.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: After nearly four decades of confronting armed criminals, protecting world leaders, training elite police commandos and managing national crises, Datuk M.V. Sri Kumar is preparing to hang up his uniform.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}