Sunday Times 2
Captured skills: 200 years of police photography
An exhibition of photography by the Sri Lanka Police was held at the Lionel Wendt on September 1 and 2. Titled ‘Polis Netha (Eye of the Police)’, it displayed almost 150 photographs taken by police photographers over the course of many decades.
Among these were depictions of police uniforms spanning 200 years from the time of British rule in 1815 to the late 20th century (when the uniform of today was adopted). Several cameras used over the course of 50 years, alongside an informative documentary, were also on display.
The exhibition also paid homage to the legacy of Wilson Hegoda, who was responsible for inculcating a love for photography with his lessons, by displaying several of his old photographs of the police alongside awards received for his work internationally.
While several photographs from investigations were featured at the exhibition the focus was firmly on the artistic skills of the photographers. On display were captured stills from protests, political events and police celebrations alongside several nature photographs taken on assignments outstation.
The canines from Police Kennels were also caught in action, jumping through hoops or on the trail of an investigation. Some photographs pulled from the archives of yesteryear caught the eye of older veterans who attended the opening alongside a team of photographers from the Police and other invitees.