Every police officer must work to maintain public confidence and ensure that people do not lose hope, Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Ali Ihusan has said.
The minister made the remarks while speaking at a special ceremony held to mark Maldives Police Service Day, where he expressed gratitude for the work being carried out by individual police officers to maintain public trust in the police service.
Minister Ali Ihusan said the police service was an institution with a proud history, adding that he was proud of the work police officers were doing to establish stability in the Maldives in terms of security, social affairs and the economy.
He said the work carried out by every police officer was important in protecting the country from major threats, adding that successful efforts had been made over the past two years to tackle issues involving drugs, gang-related crimes and foreigners residing in the Maldives in violation of regulations.
“The greatest challenge for the police should be to ensure that the public feels confident about the service provided by the police,” the minister said. He added that this could only be achieved by maintaining integrity within the institution. Therefore, every police officer must work to uphold the good name of the institution, and there should be no room for the abuse of authority or corruption within the service, Minister Ihusan said.
The Homeland Security Minister said it was important to provide the police with the resources needed to deliver services in line with the times, adding that the current government was working to establish these resources.
In this regard, 154 police infrastructure development projects are currently under way, and many of these projects are expected to be completed by the end of June next year. He also said the government was prioritising the use of intelligence resources and modern technology to strengthen policing operations.
The minister said every police officer must work to protect society from crime before it occurs and to help ensure that Maldivian youth grow up to be responsible and law-abiding members of society. He also noted that every Maldivian carries hopes for the police and urged officers not to disappoint any member of the public.