Turkish police to assist with restoration of burnt police stations

A team of senior officials of the Turkish National Police has arrived in the Maldives to hold discussions regarding providing assistance to the efforts to restore the police stations in Addu City and Thinadhoo, destroyed in the arson attacks on 8 February 2012.

The team is made up of Deputy Head of the International Relations Department of the Turkish National Police Mehmet Erdem, an official of the Strategy Development Department of the Turkish National Police, and an official of the Construction and State Development.

During the team’s meeting with Commissioner of Police Abdullah Riyaz and Deputy Commissioner of Police Hussain Waheed, discussions were focused on strengthening relations between the two institutions, and ways in which assistance can be provided in improving the infrastructure of Maldives Police, and facilitating education and training opportunities to Maldives Police.

The police said that the team visited Addu City this morning and was given information on work to be done to restore the Police Training Centre and other police buildings in the island.

The team will visit Gaaf Dhaalu Thinadhoo tomorrow, and will be briefed on work to be done to restore the Thinadhoo Police Station.

This one-week visit by a team of senior officials of Turkish National Police follows a request by the commissioner of police, from international groups for assistance in overcoming the challenges faced by Maldives Police in conducting training programs following the arson attacks on police buildings last year.