Let’s support community policing

SOME two years back, it was reported that in Port Moresby there were about only 700 police officers to look after over 600,000 people.
That is a ratio of one officer to more than 800 people which should be worrying as it places a strain on their efforts to securing a safer community.
The United Nations recommended police-population ratio is 1:450.
Police to population ratios for other jurisdictions are: Fiji 1:550, Solomon Islands 1:500, Queensland 1:475, Northern Territory of Australia 1:280.
PNG’s ratio of police to population has been well over these figures and the present ratio of 1:800 (for NCD) represents a considerable challenge.
This ratio almost guarantees poor police service to the community, as police resources (even if maximally employed) are likely to be overwhelmed even in a relatively peaceful country.
Given the present law and order situation in the country and its seriously detrimental effect on personal and public safety and on business confidence and the broader economy, police numbers, no matter how well trained, positioned and motivated, are clearly grossly insufficient.
Papua New Guinea does not have a tradition of strong local police authorities.
The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) has a funded strength of 5,250 officers, commanded by the Commissioner of Police.
Two deputy commissioners report to the commissioner.
The RPNGC faces obstacles in trying to gain the cooperation of PNG communities, which frequently prefer to deal with criminals by themselves.
Consequently, police are spread fairly thin, with correspondingly slow response times.
NCD police boss Perou N’Dranou has admitted that law and order has been increasing at an alarming rate especially sexual offences.
With the current ratio, police cannot be everywhere in the city, so he is calling on the community work together with police to fight crime.
A report of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary administrative review committee by the Institute of National Affairs had highlighted shortage of police numbers and resources that was affecting the police officers’s ability to do their job.
The report emphasised the need for police to recognise that good policing requires cooperation with the public, so that the community and police solve problems of crime together.
This is community policing and should become the whole reason for and main method of doing Police business.
The programme has been positive for the centres that introduced it so far and police should now see that they need community assistance.
The police need to restore discipline, be more accountable for their actions and for the resources provided to them.
Honest police are overwhelmed by lack of resources, poor leadership, bad management, apathy, and the condoning of sometimes openly corrupt behaviour of their colleagues and superiors
Without government commitment, nothing will change.
Law and order will deteriorate to chaos, and the future for our families and children will become hopeless.
The starting point for these changes is an overwhelming government commitment to provide the resources for the police to do their job, and for the reform process within the police.
The community wants an effective police force.
But, the community needs to accept that they have a part to play in policing.
They cannot expect the police to be effective if the public does not help. Effective policing is a partnership.