Sri Lanka’s police service is grappling with a severe personnel crisis, with 40,613 vacant positions hampering operations across several departments, notably the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The total sanctioned strength of the police force stands at 84,000, meaning nearly half of the required workforce is missing, leading to significant operational challenges nationwide.
Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala confirmed that the government has approved the recruitment of 10,000 new personnel to address the shortfall, and 1,500 officers have already been selected. The Ministry of Public Security reported that 35,116 posts in the general police service, 3,815 positions in the Police Special Task Force, and 1,682 roles in support services remain vacant.
The officer shortage has been attributed to long-standing delays in filling vacancies, leaving critical departments understaffed and placing additional pressure on existing personnel. Authorities are now racing to fill the gaps in an effort to restore normal functioning and strengthen law enforcement capabilities across the country.
