Police launch special operations leading up to election

By JUNIOR UKAHA
POLICE have launched a special operation leading up to the 2012 election.
The “pre-election operations” was launched last Friday at a parade at the Gordon police barracks oval by acting Deputy Commissioner (operations) Fred Yakasa on behalf of Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie.
The launching was attended by Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen, members of the Australian federal police and the assistant commissioners of police from the four regions.
About 300 police personnel from the NCD command took part in the parade to mark the start of the operations.
Yakasa said police aimed to see preparations leading up to the 2012 election was not threatened or put under undue influence.
“Police are here to provide security,” he said.
“We (police) will secure an environment in which our citizens choose their leaders free of threats or intimidation,” he said.
He said the operation was necessary and justified because of the build-up of arms in many places.
Yakasa said police needed about K188 million to carry out successful operations.
“This is the complete budget which will see RPNGC achieve its objective of ensuring secure and safe democratic election by providing an effective and efficient policing response,” he said.
He said 20% of the funding would be used to implement the pre-elections operations while the remainder would be used to fund election-proper and post-election operations.
The launching coincided with the declaration by police to mark 2011 as the year of discipline. 
“Undisciplined, unprofessional, corrupt, abusive and non-performing policemen and policewomen have no place in the force,” Yakasa said.
“We will seriously and strictly carry out Commissioner Wagambie’s orders,” he said.
The pre-election nationwide operations will involve more than  4,000 personnel.
It will start this month and end at the issuing of writs, with the election proper operations takeover from the issuing of wrist to the declaration of votes.