Police chief takes direct command of SO wing
Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihsan has asked the Police Commissioner to review the case at the request of the President.
By
Aminath Shifleen
The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed the police to redefine operational conditions in which Specialist Operations (SO) Police personnel are required and to follow the requirement of direct permission from the police commissioner before deployment even in such cases.
The public has been critical about how police used force to disrupt former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's PNF formation meeting supposed to be held at Ghiyasuddin School on Tuesday evening.
The PNF accused the police of obstructing the meeting on the "order" of the government, especially President Dr Mohammed Muizzu. Muizzu, however, said the police did not act on any instructions from him and that he did not even have knowledge of police presence at the event. He also said that it was done in violation of instructions given.
Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihsan has asked the Police Commissioner to review the case at the request of the President.
In a press release, the ministry said the report was submitted to the President and he ordered the police to take certain actions. One is to redefine the operational situations in which SO police must operate and seek the permission of the police commissioner directly before deploying them.
It also includes:
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The Professional Standards Command of the Police should investigate the manner in which SO police were sent to Ghiyasuddin School and take legal action against anyone who has committed negligence
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Review the procedure being followed for providing information to the media in operational situations and determine how information can be disclosed to the public in a more two-sided and detailed manner
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Use of Force Review Committee to investigate the use of force by SO police at Ghiyasuddin School.
