News - Retired police officers may return as DIGs

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Retired police officers may return as DIGs

By Asif Fuard

Ten retired Senior Superintendents of Police are among those to be called upon by the National Police Commission (NPC) for interviews for promotions to the rank of Deputy Inspectors General but its Chairman Neville Piyadigama said he was unaware of it.

He told The Sunday Times the Commission was now awaiting a list of 55 names to be submitted by the Inspector General of Police. From that number, eleven are to be picked for promotion to the rank of DIG to fill vacancies that exist. The Sunday Times learns that the list would include ten retired SSPs.

Police Chief Chandra Fernando declined to comment on the inclusion of retired officers. However, he told The Sunday Times even if retired officers were appointed the NPC was the authority that had the power to make appointments. “If they want to appoint retired officers they can do it. There have been retired officers in the past who have been promoted,” he said.

Mr. Piyadigama said the NPC had asked the Police Chief to send a list of the “most eligible candidates for the post of DIG.” He said, “we are interviewing 55 officers, five times the number that will qualify.”

The Commission had made available to the IGP the marking schemes for promotions, he said. At a meeting held on May 31, the NPC decided to fill the eleven positions vacant in the rank of DIG. These vacancies occurred in October 2005.

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