Police personnel attached to stations in Colombo complain that they have to perform duties of civic police after fulfilling their normal 12-hour rostered duty.

This is due renewed checking of households after the new IGP assumed office.

The renewed rounds of checking has drained police personnel attached to other branches, sources said.

In a repetition as in the LTTE war period, policemen have been instructed amongst others to question any visitor lodged in a residence not registered with the respective police station in the area and to take any person living in a household unregistered into police custody.

Sources said that there are 10-member units of civic police in a station. These personnel function under an officer who is in charge of a given street. The civic police functions under a DIG.

Maradana Police Station is to become a role model for the civic police, sources added.