Lae police on alert, ready to shoot to kill criminals

By JIMMY KALEBE and HELEN TARAWA
POLICE in Morobe is on high alert and will shoot to kill any criminals coming into the province, says its police commander Superintendent Alex N’Drasal.
N’Drasal made the call after thugs shot dead a lawyer in Alotau last Wednesday and burnt police barracks in which a mother and her four-year-old son died among other serious offences.
He believed the thugs were trying to find their way out of the province as police reinforcement was sent there on Friday to hunt out the criminals.
“Policing in Morobe and Lae metropolitan is very tough,” N’Drasal said. “If these thugs cross the border of Milne Bay to Northern and over to Morobe, and if caught, we will not give them a second chance.
“I will not tolerate any criminals who are wanted by police. They do not deserve to be alive.”
N’Drasal said there was manpower on the borders of Morobe.
“They have been alerted and will go at the best they can to get those criminals coming into the province,” he said.
N’Drasal said his men were based in every out-station in the province to monitor sea and land.
“If any members of the public in the rural areas gave any intelligence messages to the police, they will be protected and police will deal with these criminal elements,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Oro provincial administration with support from the police is stepping up security operations on the border of Milne Bay, Morobe and Northern.
Acting provincial administrator Trevor Magei said the murders, arson and robbery in Alotau had prompted the administration to take appropriate measures to stop any movement of criminals.