As enacted

Contents

Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act 2023 · As enacted · Part IV · Entitlement of a Victim of Crime or Witnesses to Seek Protection

38. Victims and Witnesses Protection Officers

Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.

(1)

The Inspector General of Police shall, in consultation with the Authority, assign to each police station such number of police officers to be designated as Victims and Witnesses Protection Officers (in this Act referred to as

“Protection Officers”) as may be necessary, for the purposes of this Part of this Act:

Provided however, at least one of such officers shall be a female officer.

(2)

In deciding the number of Protection Officers required to be assigned to any police station, the Inspector General of

Police shall take into account the population of the police division, the prevalence of serious crimes and the perceived vulnerability of special categories of persons including children, women or disabled persons in that police division and other relevant data and statistics related to that police division.

(3)

(a)

The Head of the Protection Division, in consultation with the Authority, shall issue directives to be followed by the Protection Officers in performing and discharging their duties and functions, and such directives shall, where necessary, be treated as confidential notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any other law.

(b)

The Authority shall conduct special training programmes for the purpose of developing the competence of the Protection Officers.

(4)

A Protection Officer shall maintain a confidential record of every action that he takes in providing protection to a victim of crime or witness under this Act.

Part V

Establishment of the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses

Read on from Part V

Part VI

Appointment of the Director-General and Staff of the Authority

Read on from Part VI

Part VII

Victims of Crime and Witnesses Assistance and Protection Division

Read on from Part VII

Part VIII

The Assistance and Protection Programme for Victims of Crime and Witnesses

Read on from Part VIII

Part IX

Compensation and Interim Awards

Read on from Part IX

Part X

Testimony Through Contemporaneous Audio-Visual Linkage

Read on from Part X

Part XI

Finance

Read on from Part XI

Part XII

General

Read on from Part XII