Rooting out Police corruption

President Anura Kumara Disanayake’s recent warning to Police officers allegedly entangled in drug trafficking networks marks a significant, and long overdue, moment in the fight against corruption. “Leave immediately! Otherwise, we will remove you,” the President declared last week at the launch of the Government’s new anti-narcotics initiative. His words were sharp, unequivocal, and resonant. But words alone, however strong, must now translate into consistent, transparent action.

For too long, Sri Lanka’s Police department, an institution meant to uphold justice and safeguard the rule of law, has been tarnished by allegations of corruption, brutality, and complicity in organised crime. The illicit drug trade, in particular, has evolved into a parallel state, feeding politicians, public officials, and elements within the very agencies tasked with dismantling it. It is an ecosystem of impunity that has eroded public confidence in law enforcement and weakened the moral foundations of governance.

President Disanayake’s stance, therefore, deserves recognition. In an environment where political will is often in short supply, his decision to confront this entrenched rot should be commended. Yet this is only the first step on a long and treacherous road. The challenge lies not merely in issuing warnings, but in executing a genuine, far-reaching clean-up, one that goes beyond the police ranks to address the full architecture of corruption that sustains and protects criminal enterprises.

The Police are, quite literally, the front line of justice. If that line is compromised, every subsequent process from investigation to prosecution to sentencing becomes tainted. When officers are themselves participants in criminal networks, the law becomes a tool of oppression rather than protection.

The Government must also recognise that corruption within the Police does not exist in isolation. It is sustained by weaknesses elsewhere, in the judiciary, in the Attorney General’s Department, and in the broader mechanisms of oversight. A clean police force is only meaningful if investigations lead to fair trials and credible convictions. The judiciary must be independent, impartial, and efficient, free from political pressure and corruption. Likewise, the Attorney General’s Department must be empowered and depoliticised to ensure that no case is buried or manipulated for expedience.

There are precedents that the Government can learn from. Other nations have succeeded in reforming their police forces through strong oversight commissions, transparent recruitment and promotion systems, and stringent anti-corruption protocols. Of course, reform will not come without resistance. Corruption has deep roots and powerful beneficiaries. Every attempt to disrupt these networks threatens the interests of individuals who have long thrived under impunity. But this is where true leadership is tested. President Disanayake must demonstrate that his commitment to cleansing the Police is not a passing political slogan but a sustained moral and administrative crusade.

If the Government succeeds in this endeavour, it will not only restore faith in law enforcement but also strike a blow against the broader culture of corruption that has corroded Sri Lankan society. The rule of law cannot coexist with a compromised Police service. To rebuild the nation’s integrity, the rot must be cut out, decisively, transparently, and without fear or favour. Therefore, cleaning up the Police must be a national priority, whatever the political cost. If done right, it could mark the beginning of a true moral renewal for the country.