Police Commissioner Abdulla Riyaz has said that a new department has been established to test police officers for urine and alcohol after media reports of police being drunk while on duty.
Riyaz said police officers will be randomly picked for the urine test and that police officers will always be tested to see if officers use any illegal drugs or alcohol.
Riyaz said this was to strengthen police professional standards and to increase public confidence in the police.
He told the press that this new policy was not established because there have been issues with the police, but to ensure all citizens that police officers on duty are there only for the safety of the citizens.
Riyaz said although this was new in the Maldives it had been done in other countries.
Earlier this month Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Spokesperson Imthiyaz Fahmy alleged that many police officers in riot gear to control a MDP protest “were drunk” and some fell to the ground “while others were seen vomiting.”
Imthiyaz further alleged that police officers had forced MDP activists to drink alcohol.
A police official told Minivan News that time the accusations were baseless: ”It would be better to report these allegations to the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) or some other independent institution to investigate, rather than making false accusations,” the police spokesperson said.
Recently police arrested 13 people after clashing with demonstrators at the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s ongoing protest.
MDP supporters alleged that police officers were drunk and were very violent that night. Several protesters alleged that police officers stabbed them and that officers were armed with small bayonet knives.
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Good internal measure by Police.
first, it is too late to test for recent incidents. they could have tested the same day. PIC should have atleast!
and what is the point really? i know drug dealers are informed of raids beforehand, so why wouldnt these "random" cops not know if they up for the tests beforehand?
and the allegations against the whole institution, and especially the leaders are left totally ignored...who can trust this institution anymore? riyaz is seen as a coup leader by a lot of maldivians today. and he changes the top management to include other participants of the police mutiny, for what? to gain trust?
the coup should be investigated and action taken against those guilty for the police to gain people's trust and for the people to start respecting rule of law.
The profound shame of an Islamic country admitting that they have police officers who have access to, and indulge in substance abuse.
Fundamental islam and drugs is becoming quite a fashionable combination it seems.....you only have to look at the current trends in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan.....all awash with 'brown sugar'....funny how the non availability of alcohol makes pious muslims latch on to hard drugs.
Oops, have I raked up a taboo subject in muslim countries?