Senior DIG Chandra de Silva spells out future plans
The Police Department will set up a special intelligence unit to monitor and combat organized crime, senior DIG Chandra Fernando, successor to the present IGP, told The Island yesterday.
Chandra Fernando will assume duties as the IGP on October 01.
DIG Fernando said the unit would keep and analyse records of all criminal activities and will also have a research wing within it that would address crime detection and prevention. Top police intelligence officials from Sweden will advise the unit by visiting Sri Lanka to assist the local personnel of the crime intelligence unit.
The department has also started a skill enhancement programme for police officers 'so that the public criticism and the unpopularity of the police could become a thing of the past'. In a recent study 40 weaknesses that made police unpopular among the public, had been found and these would be remedied he said.
Born on October 12, 1945, Mr. Fernando received education at St. Peter’s College and Thurstan College and entered the Sri Jayawardhanapura University, where he obtained his first degree. He also holds the LLB and an LLM degrees.
He joined the police force as an ASP in 1971, and was promoted SP in 1980 and SSP in 1985. He became a DIG in 1990 and a senior DIG in 2002. He is the senior most DIG recommended for appointment by the President to the Constitutional Council which selected him to succeed the present IGP who retires on September 30.
