Police Board nominate Shujau as next police chief

The Police Board has recommended the appointment of Assistant Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau as the next Commissioner of Police.

The board made the recommendation on Sunday.

The deadline for the vacancy had expired last Tuesday. Two police officials applied by the deadline; Shujau and Assistant Commissioner of Police Ismail Naveen.

The candidates were vetted by the Police Board.

A credible source confirms that the board recommended Shujau to Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihusan.

Former Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed had retired from the police force on November 15. Then-Deputy Commissioner of Police Abdul Mannan Yoosuf had been appointed as Acting Commissioner of Police following Hameed’s retirement. But Mannan himself retired a little over a week later, and was replaced by Assistant Commissioner of Police Farhad Fikry.

The Police Act does not empower the president to directly appoint a police commissioner. Instead, the law dictates that applications must be opened for 90 days, for which police officials ranked assistant commissioner or above are applicable. The candidates will be vetted by the Police Board, after which the president will make the appointment under the advisement of the cabinet minister in charge.