My editors regularly encourage me to write opinions based on data, not anecdotes. On rare occasions, however, I deviate from this advice. This is one such case because my personal experience led me into the labyrinth of the Sri Lanka Police. Allow me to recount what happened to me before proposing potential solutions.
October 28, 2022. That was the day I was robbed in broad daylight. I was driving on a less crowded street when I encountered two helmeted individuals on a white scooter. They repeatedly hit my vehicle, prompting me to stop under the assumption that there was an issue with my car. Approaching from the passenger side, the two men accused me of trying to flee an accident scene, claiming one had injured his hand and required medical attention. Indirect threats were also made. In an attempt to avoid further conflict, I handed them the cash I had. The encounter wasn’t as abrupt as it sounds, but they left with nearly Rs. 8,000—all the cash I had on me at the time—after continuing to intimidate me with threats. I managed to capture a snapshot of the scooter’s number plate.
This incident introduced me to the perplexities of the Sri Lanka Police. I arrived at the Thalangama Police Station the same evening to report the crime. Ignoring my financial loss and mental anguish, I believed it was my duty as a law-abiding citizen to report what had transpired.
To my surprise, the on-duty police officers viewed the incident from a different perspective. I found myself blamed for the robbery as if I had invited the trouble. I appreciated that my complaint was taken, and the facts not disputed. However, this was only after an hour-long wait for an officer nearing retirement age, who seemed disinterested in my story. My report was transcribed in an inexpensive record book, with surprisingly thin pages filled with illegible handwriting. I was asked to sign it, but I insisted on understanding its content first. As the officer likely struggled to read his writing, he explained the report to me point by point. One professional question was asked during this entire exchange: was I hit or was my vehicle damaged? I responded negatively. The entire process felt like a scene from a Hindi thriller movie.
I initially assumed the issue would be resolved within a week due to its relatively minor nature. However, as time passed, I realized it wouldn’t be that quick. I reached out to the station multiple times to check on the progress of the case, but responses were inconsistent and no owner details were obtained for the scooter. After about three months, I lost interest, convinced my complaint would yield nothing.
Seven long months after the incident, I received a call from the Thalangama Police Station. By this point, I had completely given up hope. An officer, who claimed to be a recent transfer, asked why no investigation into my complaint had been conducted. I retorted that it was them I should be asking. It turned out that this officer was dedicated to his duty. At last, something was happening. He kept me updated, and within a week he had obtained the owner’s information from the Department of Motor Traffic. The scooter was traced to a woman in the Minuwangoda Police area. He kindly arranged the inquiry on a day that I was available and informed the other party to attend. I was to present myself at 10.00 am at the Thalangama Police station.
Upon arriving at the station ten minutes early on the appointed day, I was faced with the reality of the Sri Lanka Police’s complaint-handling process. Despite several officers on duty, none acknowledged my presence. At 10:30 am, I asked whether they had a list of scheduled cases for the day. They did not. I was then asked for the details of the opposing party, something I believed was their responsibility. After waiting and prompting them again at 11 am, there was a more appropriate response. I was asked for the complaint number, and after a half hour search through 8-10 books by multiple officers, my complaint was finally located. When questioned about the delay, I stated that this was precisely the answer I wanted.
Next, they requested the mobile numbers of the opposing party to verify if they had been notified. Naturally, I didn’t have this information. After another half hour, they found that the other party had indeed been notified through the Minuwangoda Police, but had chosen not to attend. I asked about possible courses of action, but the response indicated there was little to be done if the accused party didn’t appear. I was then instructed to report on a different day, a weekday, which would require me to take time off work.
To fast-forward, the same pattern repeated several times, causing me to lose three productive workdays. The suspect never showed up, halting the progress of the case. As of writing this, the case remains open and unresolved. The underlying lesson here is that filing a police complaint for many types of crimes seems utterly pointless. The police force lacks the necessary setup to conduct inquiries effectively, often resulting in the victim bearing the brunt of the consequences. This deadlock seems applicable to at least half of what we refer to as “minor crimes.” I’m unsure about major ones.
The police wasted both my time and their own due to two reasons. Firstly, their negative attitude, which was highly unprofessional and made the complaint process frustrating. Secondly, and more importantly, their complaint handling system was not automated. As the police deal with a large volume of complaints, they should have implemented an online system by now. A manual system is simply not feasible.
Activating an online system might be challenging without a central database of Unique Digital Identities. However, the police could use the database from the Department of Registration of Persons as an alternative. This could serve as the foundation for a system connecting all police stations across the island, excluding the smallest ones initially if the process proves too costly or cumbersome.
Such a system would offer several advantages. It would enable citizens to file complaints quickly and easily through an online portal accessible from anywhere. They could also track the status of their complaints. This system would ensure timely handling of complaints, assigning each a unique reference number for tracking purposes, and preventing them from getting lost or forgotten. It would also improve the accuracy of complaint data, capturing all relevant information automatically in a central database accessible by all police officers. This would ensure consistent handling of complaints and eliminate duplicated efforts. Additionally, this system would increase the transparency of the complaint-handling process, allowing people to track the progress of investigations and build trust between the police and the public. It could also reduce the workload on police officers and improve the efficiency of the complaint-handling process, leading to faster resolution of complaints.
Online systems could also assist in tasks like drug tracing. The Sri Lanka Police has much to learn from their counterparts in developed nations. Some governments use sophisticated data analytics tools to monitor and identify suspicious online activities related to drug trafficking, collaborating with internet service providers and social media platforms to detect and remove illegal drug-related content and apprehend individuals involved in online drug networks. Proactively utilizing online systems can play a vital role in deterring drug-related activities, protecting citizens, and maintaining a safe, drug-free society.
The possibility exists that the police have never heard of the dark web. They must delve into the dark web to solve crimes. The dark web is often perceived as an anonymous realm, but law enforcement agencies in developed countries have created tools to track down criminals. Besides tracing individual criminals, the police can also target the infrastructure that criminals use to operate on the dark web, including websites, servers, and payment processors. Dismantling this infrastructure can make it more challenging for criminals to operate on the dark web. These efforts, I suppose, are yet to be implemented. Discussing these becomes less significant if the Police lack even a system to track complaints.
The list continues. While Sri Lankan police mention mobile payment options for spot fines, this might not materialize for a while. I am unsure if the police will accept an electronic driving license. They should, though it would be wiser not to use one. The issuance of a police clearance certificate might be the only service available to individuals online. By electronically paying Rs. 4,000 and submitting scanned copies of the required documentation, one can purchase the certificate online. The question arises as to how the police clear persons of any criminal activities when the information is not stored in a database. Everyone is curious about how this non-digitized police force manages to prosecute crimes using only manual instruments.
As I conclude writing this, the new IGP has not yet been chosen. None of the potential candidates I have come across have mentioned modernizing the police force. I can only hope that they do, as a citizen. If not, it would become clear who the losers and winners of this game are. Conversely, can we place too much trust in an organization that has difficulty selecting its leaders?