Agiru challenges new police recruits

SOUTHERN Highlands Governor Anderson Agiru has challenged the new police recruits for the province to maintain their constitutional duty in protecting lives and property.
Agiru was guest of honour at their pass out parade on Friday in Bomana, and later accompanied Police Commissioner Gari Baki to meet the 120 recruits personally at their dining hall.
“Your job will be difficult because the law breakers will be a clansman, tribesman or a very close relatives but remember that they are criminals first and relatives second.” Agiru told them.
Agiru made it clear to the recruits that although the Southern Highlands provincial government put through funding for their training, they are members of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and not a provincial police force.
“You are members of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. You are not members of the Southern Highlands police force.”
Agiru said the men and women who were selected to be trained as policemen and women had gone through rigorous process and they were selected on merits and not wantok system.
He said there are many hundreds of young men and women who missed out because of the stringent selection which was aimed at picking the best to serve the police force.
“Our investment in the law and justice sector is K70 million to build capacity and infrastructure like police staff houses and police stations.”
Agiru said the provincial government has pumped in another K200,000 to start the new recruitment for next year.
He said it will cost another K1 million to start training another 120 men and women at Bomana police college next year.
Agiru on behalf of the provincial government also committed another K50,000 to pay for computers for the Bomana training college whom he claimed are doing a very fine job.