Confidence in police eroding

 CLAIMS by a Port Moresby businessman that police officers, reservists no less, raided his premises on Saturday and took K28,000 in cash and 150 cartons of beer are worth investigating. 

If we are to believe that the Royal Papua New Guinea Police Constabulary is trying to change its public image from aggressive enforcers to upholders of the law then surely this man’s complaint should be treated seriously. 

Ayopa Lape claimed five of the men who took the liquor and the money were reservists who lived in Gerehu Stage 4. 

To make matters worse, Lape said two police vehicles were used in the raid and some of the men were wearing masks to conceal their identities. 

Lape said he promptly reported the incident to Gerehu police and was given a case number but when contacted a day later duty officers at the station had no record of the report or the case number and denied any knowledge of the report. 

The problem with the police force is that this kind of thing (missing files, the slowness in assessing and attending to complaints) happens frequently. 

Mostly it is because poor management at the station but there are also instances of police personnel subverting the course of justice to suit their interests. 

There is no excuse for the actions perpetrated by this pseudo-police force. 

If in fact Lape was breaking any laws then one would think the police would have probable cause to search and confiscate any illegal substances and charge the owner of such items. 

On the face, it looks as if the police (at least the members attached to this particular precinct) took it upon themselves to break into someone’s property and take goods without a search warrant or any kind of legal document pertaining to their actions.

That is theft. 

There is other way to describe their actions. 

Of course all the facts have not been revealed so it is hard to make a sound judgment but surely the police dressed in balaclavas and by way of threats and coercion taking property that does not belong to them or for any defined legal purpose seems odd – or negligent. 

When police officers commit crimes – of any kind – it does not just tarnish the reputation of the force as a whole but it erodes the confidence of the people in this important state body as well. 

We have already heard, seen and read in the media about cops who have beaten their wives and escaped punishment of the heavy-handed way they treat some members of the public for seemingly minor infringements and of the lack of control and discipline exhibited when dealing with people and situations. 

What kind of society can function normally under these circumstances where there is no real respect for the law. 

People will only follow laws because not doing so would incur a brutal and often illegal response from the state. 

That is not a democracy. That is something else. 

We assume the police hierarchy has heard of this latest incident and are taking the necessary actions to address it. 

There needs to be an investigation into this matter. 

That much is obvious. 

What also needs to happen is that the police personnel involved must face justice, especially if it is determined that they acted outside the bounds of the law. 

The last thing the public needs to hear is that nothing has been done and worse yet that the goods taken illegally have not been returned or at the very least been paid for in full. 

Police officers are public servants first and foremost their job is to keep the peace and maintain order in the community. 

They are also tasked with fighting crime and preventing or minimising its occurrence wherever possible. 

In Papua New Guinea, the natural attitude people have to police is one of fear more than respect. 

Unfortunately very few police personnel engender genuine respect. 

That is a problem that needs to be addressed, not just be the police but by the people themselves. 

Wouldn’t it be good to live in a community where the police are seen as the upholders of the law and respected for that and not feared for the brutality and terror they can exact.