Kauba: Jiwaka needs police houses

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Tuesday, April 26, 2011

THE proposed new province of Jiwaka has fewer than 50 police officers to serve the 180,000 people, highlands police divisional commander Simon Kauba says.
He challenged Jiwaka leaders in Banz yesterday to build more accommodation so more officers could be based there.
He said this during a police parade in Banz where Western Highlands provincial police commander superintendent Ambane Kaiglo handed over his command in Jiwaka to the new Jiwaka provincial commander Sylvester Euga.
Kauba said the ratio of one policeman to 3,600 people was nine times more than the United Nations recommendation of one policeman for every 400 people.
He said the Police Department was the first to appoint a new Jiwaka provincial commander to prepare the region for its new status.
He said the leaders must build more police barracks and houses so more personnel could be stationed there.
Kauba said Jiwaka must have 300 to 400 policemen and women.
He said new recruits undergoing six months training at the Bomana Police College would graduate in July and some would be sent to Jiwaka.
But, he said, the number of officers sent would depend on the availability of accommodation at police stations like Minj, Banz, Nondugl and Jimi.
“If the leaders and people think positively and create an environment conducive for police personnel to come, they will definitely come and serve them,” he said.
Kauba told the people a shortage of manpower meant police could not be everywhere all the time.
He said the people must take the initiative to maintain order and work closely with police.
He said people must report any problem to new provincial police commander and not to the Western Highlands police.
Kaiglo said he would continue to support the new commander.
He said Jiwaka would soon become a new province and Euga needed support from the leaders and people to carry out his work effectively.