The primary objective of strengthening the Maldives Police Service (MPS) is to enhance its capacity to speed up investigations, the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusan has said.
Speaking on PSM News’ ‘Raajje Miadhu’ programme, Minister Ihusan said the government has attached top priority to enhancing the capacity of MPS - an integral part of maintaining homeland security.
In addition to improving infrastructure and technical resources, the government is aiming to establish police presence in every inhabited island before the end of the year, he said.
According to Minister Ihusan, the purpose of establishing police stations in every island is designed to bring services closer to the people while expediting investigations of cases reported to the police across the country.
"More than 100 police stations are in various stages of construction as part of the expansion of services across the country. Most projects have been contracted while many are already under construction," he said.
The Minister said that besides establishing infrastructure, increasing the operational capacity of the police remains a top priority.
"Increasing investigative capacity and accelerating investigations is the highest priority. There are so many pending cases in the investigative phase. Improved investigative capacity and quality will speed up the work," he added.
Minister also revealed plans to increase police patrols to ensure the safety and security of the public.