Cop: Lack of accommodation in district affecting police work

National

A LACK of accommodation for police personnel in Kabwum, Morobe, is the reason the district has not had a regular police presence, a senior officer says.
Morobe rural commander Chief Insp John Daviaga said as a result, many offences had not been attended to.
“We have outstanding cases in murder, grievous bodily harm, rape, arson, stealing and other crimes committed there, but police from the rural patrol unit in Lae cannot attend to them because it is expensive sending policemen there by air or sea,” he said.
Chief Insp Daviaga said an officer had been appointed recently to take the post of police station commander in Kabwum, but he could not go there because there was no accommodation.
“There is no regular police there, we have only reservists on the ground but they cannot do much to contain the law and order problems there.”
He said police were operating on a reactive basis where officers were sent in when incidents occurred but came back to Lae without completing their work.
Chief Insp Daviaga said arrested suspects could not be brought back to Lae for processing.
He said police would revisit cases of killings, arsons, serious wounding, rape and stealing which occurred from April to July in parts of Selepet and Komba local level governments.
Chief Insp Daviaga said he would ensure a criminal investigation division officer was sent to the LLGs to continue investigations this month, but this would depend on funding.
He said when bringing in suspects, witnesses and complainants also had to be brought in and this was an expensive exercise.
Chief Insp Daviaga called on the police hierarchy and provincial authorities to work together to have police personnel stationed in Kabwum in order to deal with crime, enforce laws and maintain peace and order.