Commissioner of Police, Mohamed Hameed, delivered a surprising announcement regarding his retirement, effective the 11th of next month, just prior to the handover of power to the incoming government. This unexpected news came through an internal message to the police force over the weekend.
Hameed, reflecting on his tenure as the Commissioner of Police, acknowledged the multitude of challenges and difficulties he faced throughout his career. He took a journey down memory lane, noting that his path included a dismissal from the police service in 2012, the significant political transition in 2018, and his eventual appointment as Commissioner.
Hameed’s revelation encompassed several important points. He mentioned that he had returned to the police force after the tumultuous events of 2012 but initially declined the role of Commissioner in 2018 due to past experiences. He expressed his desire to pass on the position to Senior Deputy Commissioner Ibrahim Latheef, advising President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to consider this transition.
Despite these intentions, the plan to transfer the position did not come to fruition, which led Hameed to reluctantly continue in his role. President Solih, who was unsuccessful in the September presidential election, formally appointed Mohamed Hameed as the Commissioner of Police on March 26, 2019.
Hameed’s journey to this prominent position included several key milestones: he was dismissed from the police service in 2012, a decision that followed the political changes associated with then-President Mohammed Nasheed’s transition. He was later reinstated in December 2018 by a Supreme Court ruling. Following his return to the police force in December, he was promoted to the role of Deputy Police Commissioner and served as the acting police commissioner until his formal appointment as Commissioner in 2019.
As Mohamed Hameed prepares to retire, the Maldives is on the cusp of a significant change in the leadership of the police force. This transition adds to the anticipation and developments surrounding the handover of power to the incoming government.
