Cops urged to work with leaders

 By DUNCAN WILLIS 

LAW and order chairman in Bumbu, Simon Mark and community leaders from Biwat compound urged police at Chinatown to tighten up law enforcement and help fight crime in the area.

Mark expressed his disappointment at police in the area after 12 betelnut bags belonging to a businessman from Angoram, John Mundili, were stolen.

Mundili said he had reported the matter to police at Chinatown station but they did not respond.

“I waited for four days and nothing happened so I decided to travel back to Sepik with a bad impression of the police officers,” he said.

Mark added that they rarely see police personnel present at the station when people wanted to register their complaints.

Paul Paskel, a community leader from Bumbu settlement said police should conduct foot beats as crime in Voco Point, Bumbu and surrounding settlements was on the rise.

“We are only volunteers who do not have uniforms that is why we are scared of these youths who continue to harass citizens everyday,” Mark said. 

He said there were drunkards all over public places, crime is increasing, murders and rapes were occuring in broad daylight but nothing was done about it.

“If police do not have the manpower, why cannot they use community leaders as reservists and put them on payroll,” he said.

They are urging police responsible for that area to work together with the community leaders to fight crime.