Malé, Maldives – President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih emphasized on Saturday the crucial role of a strong relationship of mutual trust between the police and the community they serve in maintaining public safety and effective policing, reiterating the administration’s policy to promote and enhance community-based policing.
He made this statement while speaking at the inauguration of the Police Research and Innovation 2023 conference, which was organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Maldives Police Service, and the Police Board.
At the inaugural session in Dharubaaruge, President Solih spoke about the enhancements made to policing through the new Maldives Police Service Act enacted in 2021, stating that the holistic enforcement of the law relies on the relationship and cooperation between the police and the community. The President also highlighted some of the achievements of the past five years, including the adoption of body-worn cameras by frontline police officers and the upcoming introduction of tasers this year, as well as efforts to modernize and promote community-based policing.
President Solih stressed the essential role of the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement established in Addu City in developing the police service, describing its establishment as a step forward in building educated and trained law enforcement officers. Regarding the conference, he noted that it was the first of its kind in the history of policing in the Maldives, with a focus on modernizing and enhancing policing through academic research-backed dialogue and experience, and praised the organizers of the conference.
The conference would feature the presentation of ten academic papers on various topics related to policing modernization and enhancement. The administration is committed to police reform and modernization, with the conference being part of that effort.
