Evolution of Community Policing in Sri Lanka from Imperialist Era to the Present

Abstract

Community Oriented Policing is not necessarily new to Sri Lanka Police Service and its popularity has grown significantly over the recent past. This concept of community-oriented policing has been found and started in England's metropolitan Police era, and the imperialist police system in Sri Lanka has facilitated the use of this concept in the performance of police duties to a certain extent even though it is not so advanced and technical. This concept often has broad and varied objectives, depending on public and police interrelationship and on their mutual understanding. Best evidence for this matter can be seen in the Police Orders and Ordinances that were used in the past to primarily give orders and instructions to the police such as Police Orders A-18, A-19, A-20, C-21, E-08 and Police Ordinance section 56. These objectives can be used to crime prevention productively. But due to lack of an implementing process by the Police service, it appears that is has not evolved as expected. Sri Lanka Police attempts have been made to implement this old concept in a new way. This has been introduced again as a new concept. These new programmes that build the relationship between the Police and communities, working together to resolve root courses for preventing and reducing crimes, the fear of crime, insecurity and safety issues from the society. This philosophy promotes organisation strategies tailored to meet the changing needs of local communities. Sri Lanka’s traditional Policing aims to stop crime primarily through punishment, and at present this community policing models are used as a set of crime prevention techniques. This concept is closer to the public and has set its sights on that. With this philosophy and achieving the vision of the Sri Lanka Police that is closer to the community it serves can become closer to reality.