Adhadhu can confirm that Deputy Commissioner of Police Ismail Naveen has been selected as the next Commissioner of Police and is expected to formally assume office later today.
Naveen was one of three candidates who applied for the position, alongside Deputy Commissioner Faruhadh Fikuree and South Police Commander Assistant Commissioner Ahmed Shameem. All three were interviewed by the Police Board, which submitted their assessment scores to the Ministry of Homeland Security on June 6.
Naveen joined the Maldives Police Service in 2006 and has held several senior roles, including head of the Human Resources Department, Central Operations, and the Forensic Services Directorate. He has pursued higher education in law and leadership in the UK and Australia.
Under current regulations, only officers at the rank of Assistant Commissioner or higher are eligible to apply for the top post. Applicants are vetted through a structured process by the Police Board, which then forwards its shortlist to the President, who appoints the Commissioner based on the recommendation of the Home Minister.
The position became vacant following the resignation of former Commissioner Ali Sujau on April 26. Sujau cited family responsibilities and mounting public criticism over the police response to the case of Hawwa Yumnu, a woman who fell from a Henveiru building in the early hours of April 18.
Following Sujau’s departure, Deputy Commissioner Faruhadh Fikuree was initially named acting commissioner, but the decision was reversed within an hour amid controversy. The role was then handed over to Naveen. Fikuree had faced public backlash over allegations that he tampered with evidence in a rape case allegedly involving his son.
Naveen’s appointment comes at a time when public trust in the police is under scrutiny, and expectations for institutional reform remain high.
