Government planning to improve police force

THE Government is working on a policy submission to improve and modernise the police force through merit-based appointments and through an upgraded two-year diplomat police training programme.
Prime Minister James Marape said during question time in Parliament that Police Minister Bryan Kramer was now working on two important policy submissions to change the way the police force had been operating in the country.
Marape said they would bring a submission to allow police personnel to undergo two years of fulltime police training and not the routine six months.
He said there would also be performance-based appointments to the constabulary’s rank and file and it would start from the top.
Marape said the commissioner, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners and officers down the line would be selected through an advertisement and selection process.
“The minister will advertise all the positions and people will apply and get appointed,” he said.
The Prime Minister was responding to questions without notice from East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, who wanted to know what plans the Government had to address the increase in violence (both domestic violence and in general) that was a leading cases of admissions and referrals in hospitals throughout the country.
Bird, who was the former East Sepik health authority chairman said the Boram hospital and other hospitals throughout the country including the Port Moresby General Hospital, treated a high number of violence-related cases daily.
He said many of the injured had wounds inflicted by the use bush knives, grass knives and even catapults.
Bird said if the issue of violence was not addressed then it would become a serious issue in the country, and wanted the Government to undertake a bipartisan approach although Parliament had passed the law to increase penalty for such offences, but nothing had been done to date and police could not even address violence.
Marape said there was nothing wrong with the laws as there are good laws in place ,but the enforcement of the laws was a major problem.
He said he always stressed the need for men to take more responsibility and to protect women.
“The issue is common and prevalent. Laws have been passed and I appeal to every police man and women to bring those perpetrators.