History
1797 :- The office of Fiscal was created and Fredric Barron Mylius was appointed as Fiscal of Colombo and entrusted with responsibility of policing the City of Colombo.
1806 :- The regulation No. 6 of 1806, appointed a Vidane Arachchi to each village, for prevention and detection of crime in rural area.
1832: - A committee appointed by the governor was instructed to form a police force. It was decided by this committee that this new police force was to be funded by a tax to be paid by the public. It consisted of One Superintendent, One Chief Constable, Five Constables, Ten Sergeants and 150 Peons. They were responsible for maintaining law and order in the capital city of Colombo.
1844: - As the police force was restricted to coastal areas only, a second police force was created to cater to the hill country.
1858: - The police force in the coastal area and the Police force in the hill country were unified to make one Police force.
1864: - The first death of a police officer whilst on duty occurred when he attempted to apprehend a brigand by the name of "Saradiel" who was subsequently compared to "Robin Hood" of "sherwood forest".
1865: - The Police Ordinance was enacted to stipulate powers and responsibilities of policemen.
1866: - Mr. "William Robert Campbell" then the chief of police in the Indian province of Rathnageri, was appointed as Chief Superintendent of Police in Sri Lanka to be in charge of the Police Force on 03.09.1866. Therefore, the 3rd of September 1866 is considered as the beginning of Sri Lanka Police Service.
1867: - The Chief of Police was designated as the Inspector General of Police Accordingly Mr. "William Robert Campbell" became the first Inspector General of Police . The Police Headquarters was found at Maradana, in the City of Colombo.
1870: - Muslim rioters attacked The Police Headquarters. The Police were successful in repulsing the attack, but the building of the Police Headquarters was damaged. In this year the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was formed.
1879: - The strength of the Police force had tripled from 585 when IGP Campbell was appointed, to a force of 1528. The first police firing range, training college and the publishing of the annual administration report emerged during this year.
1892: - The Depot Police presently known as the Field Force Headquarters was formed. Uniforms and housing were made free for Police officers as well as the payment of a Good Conduct Allowance was initiated.
1908: - Finger printing and photographing of criminals were initiated along with the direct recruitment to the rank of Assistant Superintendents of Police during this year.
1913: - Mr. Herbert Layard Dowbiggin was appointed as the 8th Inspector General of Police. 119 Police stations were in operation with a total strength of 2306.
1915: - For the first time two officers were appointed as Deputy Inspectors General of Police .
1916: - 0.22 Caliber rifles were issued in place of shotguns.
1920: - For the first time police officers were deployed for the purpose of controlling traffic
1923: - A book containing comprehensive details regarding all aspects of the Police called the "Departmental Order Book" was formulated.
1926: - The Sport Division was established.
1930: - A handbook of traffic rules and regulations was issued for traffic duties.
1932: - The Police Headquarters was shifted from Maradana to its present location in Colombo Fort.
1938: - Police telephone boxes were deployed throughout the city of Colombo.
1942: - Temporary forces were employed, known as Temporary Police Constables.
1945: - Police units were deployed at all hospitals. In addition Police units were also deployed for Railway security. However the following year, the Railway Police force was discontinued as a necessity did not arise.
1952: - Women were enrolled to the Police force for the first time. VHF Radios were introduced for communication. It was decided that in honour of police officers killed in the line of duty state funerals with full police honours would be held. In addition the Police flag would be flown at half mast throughout the country.
1954: - Police stations were graded into five classifications viz. Grade "E" to Grade "A" . The grading of Police stations were considered depending on the work load, population, locality, crimes, important Institutions etc., in the area.
1963: - Divisions in the Police were made as North, Central, South, Administration & Criminal Investigation Department. Mr. D. B. I. P. S. Siriwardane, a Civil servant was the first civilian to be appointed as the Deputy Inspector of Police in charge of Administration.
1966: - The Police Public Relations Division was established on 1'st October 1966, at Police Headquarters, Colombo.
1969: - The establishment of the Tourist Police and the Illicit Immigration sector, in March 1969.
1972: - The Crime Detective Bureau was started on 1'st August 1972.
1973: -On the15th of August 1973 the Police Narcotics Bureau was started and The Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau too was established.
1974: - The Police uniforms for Constables and Sergeants was changed.
1976: - The rank of Woman Police Sub Inspector was introduced. 2 Women police officers were promoted to the rank of Sub Inspector.
1978: - Establishment of The Police Higher Training Institute.
1979: - The Children & Women Bureau was established.
1983: - Establishment of The Police Special Task Force.
1985: - A new promotion scheme was introduced from the rank of Police Constable up to the rank of Inspector of Police.
1988: - A Woman Police Inspector was promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police
1989: - Women were recruited and enlisted as Sub Inspectors.
1991: - The Sri Lanka Police celebrated 125 years of Policing in Sri Lanka.
1993: - The Police Information Technology Division was established.
1998: - The Marine Division was established.
1999: - The Ombudsman Division was established.
2000 - The Police Examination Division was established.
2002: - The Police Human right Division was established.
2002: - The Disappearances Investigation Unit was established.
2004: - The Judicial Security Division was established.
2005: - The Colombo Crime Division was established.
2006: - The Reserve police force was abolished & its officers transferred to the regular police force.
2008: - Police Academy was established in 2008 with the amalgamation of the Police Higher Training Institute and the In-Service Training Division which are now Divisions of the Sri Lanka Police Academy.
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