President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has called for a strong and capable police service to safeguard the nation's trust and reputation on the international stage.
In a message marking Maldives Police Service Day, President Muizzu extended greetings to the institution’s past and present officers and personnel.
The President said strengthening the police service is important to ensuring that the trust and reputation of the Maldives are upheld for every Maldivian citizen, every foreign national and before the international community. He also called on police officers to continue serving with courage and sincerity to achieve this objective and uphold these values.
Police services in the Maldives were first introduced in 1933. From that time, the military and police services operated as a single service before the police was established as a separate civilian institution on 1 September 2004. Following that change, the police service was placed under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Police Service Day is observed on 1 September, marking the establishment of the police as a civilian institution. The first law specifically governing the police service was enacted in 2008. Subsequently, under a new law enacted in 2020, the service adopted the philosophy of modern community policing.
Over the past 22 years, the police service has continued to expand in line with the changing times. The Government has now decided to establish police services on every inhabited island in the Maldives during this year. Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology Ali Ihusaan previously stated that work is under way to complete these projects by the end of June next year.