33 start reserve training

**Police reserve trainees during the opening of the training at the Bomana Correctional Service Training College outside the National Capital District. – Picture supplied**

A GROUP of 33 public servants from various departments in Port Moresby has started a police reserve training in Bomana.
The 33 from the Department for Community Development and Religion, Office of Censorship, Office of National Child and Family Services and the Department of Justice and Attorney-General will undergo training for six weeks. Deputy police commissioner, operations, Dr Philip Mitna said manpower in the constabulary continued to be an issue, and having police reservists would help the numbers in the constabulary.
“We have a population of about 11 million persons, with (only about) 6,500 police personnel in the entire country,” he said.
Mitna said it was well below the recommended ratio of police to citizens.
The police reserve training was organised by the community policing directorate and facilitated by police instructors at the Bomana Police College.
The purpose is to train people to perform basic police roles as and when needed in their fields.
Deputy director for community Policing, Inspector Dominic Sumala said the directorate would issue reserve police identification cards and keep proper record of every reserve police personnel.
“Some of the police reserve trainings conducted in the country did not come through the process,” he said.
“We have no knowledge about these trainings because of no proper record.”
Sumala said all interested parties must channel their request through the Office of the Commissioner and the Directorate of Community Policing to be given approval for the training.