Cops warned

 ROGUE police officers  have been warned to toe the line or face the consequences.

National Capital District Metropolitan Superintendent Benjamin Turi said command and control were lacking in the constabulary, and corruption was rife which must be weeded out.

“If you are an ill-discipline cop, then the force will deal with you and you have to face it (consequences) yourself,” he said.

“My aim is to do a clean-up in the NCD command and to have a clean police force for the future. It is part of our strategic plan.”

Yesterday afternoon, a police officer was  arrested outside the office of The National after he tried to see reporters relating to yesterday’s front page story on police looking for senior police officer Anderson Bawa for questioning over allegations of “misconduct”.

The officer, who introduced himself as the “metropolitan commander of NCD/Central” at the reception, was taken to Gerehu police station where he was questioned about what he was doing at The National.

He arrived with others in civilian clothes in two police vehicles with plate numbers LBO608 and LBO611.

Turi said the officer was later taken to the police headquarters at Konedobu for further questioning.

“We simply want Bawa to come forward to us. Someone is trying to do a media trial here. He (the officer) admitted that Bawa is in Port Moresby but he did not give the whereabouts,” Turi said.

Turi said he aimed to weed out corruption in the police force by March 2016. 

He said part of the clean-up was the disbanding of the Central Province Task Force Unit because “rogue elements” had been abusing powers for a long time in the constabulary.

Some senior officers had already been arrested and charged over allegations against the police force.

“That unit has been involved in illegal roadblocks along the Hiritano and Magi highways and innocent people have been victims,” he said.