Lack of training blamed for failed cases

THE failure by police to prosecute some serious cases such as rape, armed robbery and murder has been blamed on their lack of training.
Deputy Police Commissioner Administration Raphael Huafolo said some detectives and police prosecutors lacked the skills to conduct proper investigations and prepare court reports.
“There has been a lack of training in the past 15 years and detectives have lost a lot of cases,” he said.
“They don’t know how to prepare case files and hand-out briefs.
“There are no proper records of interviews for the prosecutor to prosecute the case.
“And because prosecutors have not also been trained as well they don’t know what to do.
“So we end losing almost all the cases.
“Only few get through, but most of the cases are actually lost.
“It is a nightmare. It is the reality.
“So what is the point of charging people when you cannot sustain a conviction in court?
“There is no point in charging criminals and then the courts allow them to go free.”
Huafolo was speaking during the closing of a five-week advanced detective training course at Bomana Police College in Port Moresby on Thursday.
AusAid funded the course for 20 detectives in Port Moresby and Central.
Huafolo said due to the many cases police could not prosecute, people had lost confidence in the police.