Lawyer Priyantha Weerasuriya, nominated by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to serve as the 37th Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Sri Lanka, is set to assume duties following the President’s formal issuance of the appointment letter.
Weerasuriya has made history as the only IGP in Sri Lanka to have risen through the ranks from Police Constable, Sub-Inspector, and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), to the top post of Inspector General.
He began his career in the police service as an apprentice police constable on May 20, 1988. While serving as a constable, he rejoined the service as an apprentice sub-inspector on August 2, 1992, by which time he had also completed his university studies.
While continuing his police career, Weerasuriya enrolled at the University of Colombo, where he earned an LL.B. (Law) degree. Excelling in the competitive examination for the recruitment of apprentice ASPs, he rejoined the police service as an apprentice Assistant Superintendent of Police on March 5, 1999.
Notably, Senior DIGs Sanjeewa Dharmaratne, Sajeewa Medawatte, Kithsiri Jayalath, Ranmal Kodituwakku, Rajitha Sri Damin, Nalaka de Silva, along with Deputy DIG Nalaka de Silva and officers from the Police and Naval Division, joined the service alongside Weerasuriya as trainee ASPs.
Weerasuriya has served with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force on several occasions. He furthered his education by completing an LL.M. degree in 2015, followed by a degree in Human Resources Management from the University of Colombo in 2019.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will officially appoint him as Acting Inspector General of Police on 27 September 2024.
Born on February 9, 1969, Priyantha Weerasuriya is scheduled to retire from the police service upon reaching the age of 60, on February 9, 2029.
