Inspector Minata ready to serve

By GIBSON GEORGE TORASO
AFTER serving as a first constable for the past 10 years at the Kiunga Police Station, Anjap Minata is ready to give more of his time doing what he loves, to lift police work in Western after graduating from Bomana Police College as an inspector.
One of the 27 students who graduated from Bomana on July 5 after a two-year inspectors’ course, Minata returned to Kiunga on Saturday as the shift inspector for the Northern command. The 36-year-old said it was his duty to look after daily operational divisions to ensure all officers were carrying out their duties in line with the law.
“The main focus now would be customer service by attending to complaints, making arrests to maintain law and order, curb crime and ensure security for safer communities,” Minata said.
“I would work hard to uphold the code of ethics and discipline at all times while working with others to give my best and what people deserve to bring police services closer to the communities to instill public confidence in the force and its work.
“We have to work hard to serve and protect people fairly regardless of who they are and restore confidence in our work. I am not saying I alone will solve everything overnight. But I would work with other officers and the community to give my best in stopping crime and ensuring that the people are safe and secured and we (police) are delivering our duty.”
Anjap was born on May 25, 1983, to parents Langilam and Pagom Minata in a small village called Kemeanda outside of Tsak Valley in Wapenamanda, Enga. He is the third of five siblings – a girl and four boys.
At the age of eight, Minata attended Kwia Community (now primary) School in 1991. He completed grade six in 1996, and was selected by three high schools – Kompiam, Anditale and Kandep – to do grades seven to 10. Because of the 1997 general elections and the distance of the schools, he stayed back and in 1998, registered with the Wabag Fode Centre to continue his studies.
“Due to peer pressure and playing league (in the village competitions), I never faithfully completed my studies through Fode,” Minata said with a sense of guilt.
“The selection of my school mates into colleges and universities in 2002, was the motivating factor that changed everything for me. Coming from a region where stereotype and backbiting is common, the motivation gave me a sense of thought for me to go back to school.”
Anjap returned to Wabag Fode Centre and enquired with his tutor Salas Kamberan and coordinator Paul Nepao for possibilities of him continuing school. The two officers helped him and wrote a letter in 2003 that he produced to secure a space at Kopen Secondary School to do grade 11 and 12.
“I am still thankful for these two gentlemen for their help. I wouldn’t say much now but am humbled because of their help. I wouldn’t be where I am now and it all wouldn’t have happened if they weren’t there for me,” Minata said.

Anjap applied to attend teachers college to become a teacher but it all changed when there was a conflict between the communities surrounding Kopen Secondary School in 2004, when police unit, MS11, based in Wabag was called in to protect the school, students, teachers and their families.
“Then I felt secured. So was everyone including teachers and their families when cops were on guard, protecting us,” Minata recalls. “When experiencing this, I thought it would be good for me to become a cop to do the same to keep law and order for peaceful communities.”
After reading an advertisement for police recruitment in 2005, Minata applied and was shorted listed for an interview at the Wabag police station with 32 others. Anjap said he was lucky to be one of the 12 who passed the interview for training so that he could fulfill his dream to serve.
In October 2006, Anjap left for Bomana and went through a tough six months training and passed out on May 2007. He was part of the police contingent that provided security during the 2007 polling in the Highlands region, a duty he remembers as one of the “big experiences in big operations” for him.
When the elections ended, Minata was posted to Tabubil police station as first constable. After two months, he took up a post at Kiunga police station. For the past 10 years of his career in the force, Anjap had been attached as a public safety officer with the Northern Command in Western.
As a public safety officer, he had travelled to some of the remotest areas including Lake Murray, Morehead, Daru Island, Balimo, Aimbak, Mongulu, Nomad in Western and Tipalumin, a border village in West Sepik.
“These places have no road links and remoteness makes policing very challenging. We (police) have been facing difficulties in reaching these places and people to keep law and order,” Minata said.
On June 3, 2017, Anjap returned to Bomana Police College after 10 years, this time for the officer cadet training and graduated on July 5.
Minata said his ultimate willingness to serve stems from a Bible text in the book of Jeremiah (29:11): “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
“This verse rejuvenates my heart throughout my career to commit to serving with pride and dignity since I joined the force. That’s my motivating verse that keeps me strong to carry out my duty in bad and good times.
“My encouragement to my fellow officers is that we must serve with a pure heart and dignity in our service to the people and the state in carrying out our duty and not expect any return for our work because God will reward us.
“With or without resources, serve with the heart because that’s our duty that we vowed to take.”