Maldives Police Service (MPS) has begun implementing the new regulations on weapons in accordance with the Police Service Act. The Police Service Act gives MPS the power to procure, use, and preserve permitted weapons.
The Minister of Home Affairs has the power to set conditions for the procurement of weapons, after discussions with the Commissioner of Police. MPS is required to procure and use non-lethal weapons that do not include firearms or explosives, such as weapons used by police forces in other democratic countries. MPS is also required to formulate an operational manual for the use of the various weapons, within 60 days after the implementation of the regulation.
The regulation distinguishes weapons to be used for frontline policing and by specialist teams, and weapons will only be given to officers who have completed the necessary training. In order to prevent police officers from abusing their authority, the regulation dictates that MPS form a Use of Force Review Committee to give recommendations to the Commissioner of Police and the Disciplinary Board.
Furthermore, the regulation dictates which situations will allow the use of weapons and requires police officers to give a warning before using force. The regulation also instructs MPS on how to preserve weapons as well as how to discard weapons that are no longer used.