Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef has stated that Maldives Police Service never "deserved" to lose public respect due to past events carried out in the name of bringing democracy to the country.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 39th Basic Training Course at the Police Academy in Addu City, Abbas reflected on how the push for democracy years ago negatively impacted public perception of the police.

He said the institution faced public backlash, was called by derogatory names, and faced numerous accusations damage that has had a lasting effect.

“Whoever did it, for whatever reason, the price has been paid for generations,” Abbas said.

He acknowledged that despite growing police capacity, the stigma from those events remains, hindering trust in the institution. Abbas emphasized that without stronger efforts to rebuild public confidence, the police force will not achieve its goals.

He urged police officers to act with honesty, sincerity, humanity, and fairness in executing their duties, reinforcing that respect and trust must be earned through conduct.