Sri Lanka Mounted Police Near Methodist Church Kandy

The Sri Lanka Police Mounted Division is the mounted division of the

Sri Lanka Police (The one who lives by the Dhamma is protected by the Dhamma itself) , mission = , formedyear = , preceding1 = Ceylon Police Force (1866–1972) , dissolved = , superseding = , employees = ...

. The responsibility of the division is to conduct safe policing of

crowd control Crowd control is a public security practice in which large crowds are managed in order to prevent the outbreak of crowd crushes, affray, fights involving drunk and disorderly people or riots. Crowd crushes in particular can cause many hundreds ...

at large public order events and provide ceremonial escorts. The police mounted division is under purview of the

DIG Digging, also referred to as excavation, is the process of using some implement such as claws, hands, manual tools or heavy equipment, to remove material from a solid surface, usually soil, sand or rock (geology), rock on the surface of Earth. Di ...

- Colombo Range and control of a SSP - Mounted Division and has a strength of two Inspectors, four Sub-Inspectors, 10 sergeants, 34 constables with 60 horses.

History

The unit was formed in 1921 at the former premises of the

Royal College Colombo Royal College, Colombo is a selective entry boys' school located in Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Sri Lanka. Started as a private school by Rev Joseph Marsh in 1835, it was established as the Colombo Academy by Sir Robert Wilmot-Horton in Janua ...

in St Sebastian Hill,

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

. At its formation, the unit was limited to British personnel and consisted of eight mounted sergeants and constables, who were later promoted to sub-inspector grade. Gazetted Officers were also trained in equestrian. During

Royal visit A state visit is a formal visit by a head of state to a foreign country, at the invitation of the head of state of that foreign country, with the latter also acting as the official host for the duration of the state visit. Speaking for the host ...

s mounted policemen joined in with the Ceylon Mounted Rifles in providing mounted escorts starting in 1925. With the disbandment of the Ceylon Mounted Rifles in 1931, the mounted police took on the role of providing mounted escorts as the

Governor's Bodyguard The Governor's Bodyguard were the household cavalry troop of the Governor of Ceylon. History The troop's origins lay in the practice of the British Military Governors utilising mounted escorts from British Army units in an ad hoc basis when mo ...

on ceremonial occasions including independence celebrations in 1948. Following independence three Ceylonese was admitted to the unit for the first time. On the morning of March 22, 1952, Prime Minister

D. S. Senanayake Don Stephen Senanayake ( si, දොන් ස්ටීවන් සේනානායක,; ta, டி. எஸ். சேனநாயக்கா; 21 October 1884 – 22 March 1952) was a Ceylonese statesman. He was the first Prime Mi ...

was riding the police mare 'Chitra'. He suffered a stroke and fell (dying several hours later) at the

Galle Face Green Galle Face is a ocean-side urban park, which stretches for along the coast, in the heart of Colombo, the financial and business capital of Sri Lanka. The promenade was initially laid out in 1859 by Governor Sir Henry George Ward, although t ...

. He was accompanied by Inspector Eddie Grey, who would later become the first Ceylonese head of the mounted police.In memory of their kindness
/ref> In 1956, the police mounted division was formed with a Sub-Inspector, two Police Sergeants and 22 Police Constables with 23 thoroughbred horses imported from Australia.

Units

* Mounted Division HQ & Stables,

* Training Stables,

Nuwara Eliya Nuwara Eliya ( si, නුවර එළිය ; ta, நுவரெலியா) is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrativ ...

* Stables,

Kandy Kandy ( si, මහනුවර ''Mahanuwara'', ; ta, கண்டி Kandy, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills ...

* Police College,

Kalutara Kalutara ( si, කළුතර, ta, களுத்துறை) or Kalutota is a major city in Kalutara District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is also the administrative capital of Kalutara District. It is located approximately south o ...

Duties

*Ceremonial Mounted Escorts for ** Heads of states ** Visiting Royals and foreign VIPs ** Ambassadors and High Commissioners when presenting

letter of credence A letter of credence (french: Lettre de créance) is a formal diplomatic letter that designates a diplomat as ambassador to another sovereign state. Commonly known as diplomatic credentials, the letter is addressed from one head of state to anot ...

** Ceremonial opening of parliament * Crowd control during; **National day celebrations **

Esala Perahera The Kandy Esala Perahera (the Sri Dalada Perahara procession of Kandy) also known as The Festival of the Tooth is a festival held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This historical procession is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred To ...

May Day May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. T ...

**Sports events **Demonstrations (disperse unruly crowds) *Patrol **Colombo city **Beach

Uniform

For important ceremonial occasions, mounted policemen wear the

full-dress Full dress uniform, also known as a ceremonial dress uniform or parade dress uniform, is the most formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for official parades, ceremonies, and receptions, incl ...

red uniform (unique to the mounted division), which is a red tunic, black pantaloons, with a gold

cross belt In military uniforms, a shoulder belt is a wide belt worn usually over the shoulder and across the body. With nearly all line infantry, skirmishers, light infantry, grenadiers and guard regiments, two shoulder belts were worn - one carrying the ca ...

and a black

custodian helmet The custodian helmet is a type of helmet worn predominantly by male police officers in the United Kingdom, within England and Wales, and certain other places around the world. History The custodian helmet is the headgear traditionally worn by m ...

. On a lesser ceremonial occasion they may wear full-dress mounted white uniform (unique to the mounted division), which includes white tunic; trousers; medals; with gazetted officers' uniforms adorned with black

epaulette Epaulette (; also spelled epaulet) is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of military rank, rank by armed forces and other organizations. Flexible metal epaulettes (usually made from brass) are referred to as ''sh ...

s with rank insignia, a black leather cross belt with the lion head badge with whistle and chain, police badge affixed black leather pouch and sword with a white coloured

pith helmet The pith helmet, also known as the safari helmet, salacot, sola topee, sun helmet, topee, and topi) is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of sholapith. The pith helmet originates from the Spanish Empire, Spanish military adaptation of the na ...

. White gauntlets gloves are worn. Gazetted officers carry swords drawn, while sergeants and constables carry

lances A lance is a spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior or cavalry soldier (lancer). In ancient and medieval warfare, it evolved into the leading weapon in cavalry charges, and was unsuited for throwing or for repeated thrusting, unlike sim ...

with a police pennant. When on crowd control and patrol, mounted police wear a standard khaki uniform, with riding helmets, white gauntlet gloves and riding boots.

References

MOUNTED POLICE
{{Sri Lankan security forces

Mounted Branch The Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch is the mounted police branch of London's Metropolitan Police. It is part of Met Operations. History The Bow Street Horse Patrol was formed in 1763, but ceased after eighteen months when funding ran out. Rev ...

Sri Lankan ceremonial units Mounted police