Police officers must stop vehicles openly and professionally at locations visible to other road users, and should not conceal themselves in isolated spots or behind bushes while attempting to intercept motorists, the Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Traffic and Road Safety Range has said.
DIG W.P.J. Senadheera said departmental circulars and guidelines clearly set out how roadside duties are to be performed, and that officers should not arbitrarily stop vehicles or run operations in a manner that could create suspicion of soliciting money from motorists.
What the guidance requires
Vehicles requiring interception should be stopped transparently — at a bus stop or another suitable location where the process is visible to the public, Senadheera said. Officers may pursue a vehicle where necessary, provided their police identity and the purpose of the interception are clearly visible.
He also reminded motorists that they are not required to make payments directly to police officers. Where a temporary driving permit is issued, fines should be paid through legally authorised channels, including post offices where applicable. Roadside payments made outside the approved procedure could amount to bribery or other offences, exposing those involved to legal proceedings.
The DIG urged motorists not to offer money to officers, and said no police officer has the right to demand or accept a bribe under any circumstances.
The video behind the warning
The remarks followed the circulation on social media of a video allegedly showing a police officer accepting a bribe, in an incident reportedly linked to the Highway Unit in Dambulla.
Senadheera said senior officers are investigating. Pending the outcome, the officer involved has been removed from traffic duties and transferred to another police station, with further disciplinary and legal action being pursued, particularly under provisions of the Bribery Act.
He said the Police Department maintains zero tolerance towards bribery and corruption, and that officers found engaging in such conduct would face strict departmental, legal and anti-corruption action. The conduct of a small number of officers, he added, should not undermine the work of the majority of traffic personnel who carry out their duties honestly.
Context
Senadheera heads the police range responsible for national traffic enforcement and road safety statistics. At a briefing on Thursday he reported that 1,693 people have been killed on Sri Lanka’s roads so far this year, with motorcyclists and pedestrians together accounting for close to seven in ten deaths.
