Group of local police officers train in Aust

 A GROUP of 12 police officers are in Australia for training under the Mekim Senis police placement programme.

The placement provides learning opportunities and a chance for the officers to observe the skills and behaviours required to support the development goals of the PNG police force.

The focus is on community policing, general duties, sexual assault investigations, traffic operations and station management.

“State police authorities have specialist and generalist skills that easily transfer into PNG police operations, such as police prosecutions and remote area policing,” AFP Assistant Commissioner Alan Scott said.

The batch will be stationed at the Queensland Police Service in Cairns and Townsville.

“The AFP places PNG police officers into its own operational units but we also look to the state police forces to assist,” he said.