Communication, transport issues hinder police work

POLICE lack transport and communications support in some districts of East Sepik, resulting in the late reporting of cases and arrest of suspects, says provincial police commander Superintendent Robert Gesa.
Gesa said rural police stations in Maprik, Ambunti Drekikiar, Yangoru Saussia and Angoram lacked transport and responding to emergency and other police work was hampered.
“They also have no proper communication system. Mobile networks in some of those districts are not that effective, leading to community policing not implemented effectively,” he said.
Gesa said major crimes were sometime reported to police in the district rural police station or in Wewak one or two weeks after they had happened, which was a concern as police should respond quickly on such reports.
“When police attend to the complaints, on many occasions, we do not apprehend the suspects as it takes long to attend to complaints,” he said.
“And the suspects are sometimes not there because our respond to such complains is slow due to the lack of mobility and communication.
“We currently use mobile phones to communicate. Sometimes when we are out in the districts, mobile network coverage does not give good signals and that leads to inefficiency in getting reports,” he said.
Gesa said reports of major crimes in the districts often reached him late. But the East Sepik government is supporting police operations by occasionally providing vehicles or fuel.
A police mobile squad is in the province to monitor the crime situation.