Police: The Other Side Of The Coin
By Raisa Wickrematunge
They are part of the background, woven into the fabric of the city, so much so that they rarely enter public consciousness. In fact, if the average citizen becomes aware of their presence at busy intersections or when pulled over for an ID check, it is with a feeling of irritation.
The Sri Lankan police force is a constant presence on city streets, and has received much flak over inefficiency and corruption as of late. It is common knowledge that when pulled over for committing a traffic violation of some sort, a discreetly palmed Rs. 1,000 note, perhaps a pack of cigarettes or even a bottle of the finest ‘Gal’ (local liquor) will sort out the matter for all concerned.
Yet how many stop to consider the lives of the policemen themselves? Not all policemen have the luxury of a flashy police car and regular visits to the local doughnut shop.
Take Mahesh,* a 23-year-old employee of City Traffic. He lives in a remote village, a long 12-hour ride away from the city. Mahesh is A/Level qualified. However, he cannot afford to continue with his studies. His sister was tragically killed in an explosion during the war. Left with the burden of supporting his family, Mahesh decided to join the police force. However, his hopes of supporting his family soon evaporated. Mahesh currently shares sleeping quarters with four other cops. The beds are broken and the rooms are infested with rats and insects.
Every 70 days Mahesh gets three days leave. However, since he lives so far away, half his leave is spent on travel, leaving him just one and a half days to spend with his family. All of this would be worth it if he were able to make ends meet. However, Mahesh gets a basic salary of Rs. 22,000. Out of this, he is expected to buy his belts and other accessories necessary for his uniform, an expense which can run to Rs. 2,500. When he has set aside some money to support his family, there is barely enough for him.
“City Traffic makes Rs. 30 million in profits. Yet here I am with no future, and no savings. I toil day and night, but I can barely survive,” lamented Mahesh. He added that with such bad conditions was it any wonder that young policemen look for other means to supplement their income? Mahesh is in fact two or three ranks higher than the lowest-ranked policeman, but his is a tale of poverty.
Who knows how many other policemen like Mahesh work in the city? Hardworking young boys from far-off villages who are living from paycheck to paycheck.
Policeman after policeman, when quizzed on the problems associated with their jobs, said with a smile that they didn’t want to comment.
They did not want to have their names appear on a newspaper, and possibly lose their sole source of income. But appearances speak for themselves.
The average traffic policeman often looks all of 16. He is forced to stand for hours on end in the sun, flagging down vehicles. The sheer boredom must be overwhelming.
Recently, when a colleague was pulled over, and expressed her irritation, the young policeman said with a resigned smile, “It’s our job, miss. It’s what we have to do.”
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Somebody propose a solution, I say no solution untill a corrupt free govt
come to power, the voters & the Media to be blamed.