Multicultural communities demand professionalism: Officer

A SENIOR provincial magistrate in East New Britain has called on police in the province to maintain a high standard and to be professional in their duties.
Speaking during the opening of a new police post in Kenabot, Magistrate Samuel Lavutul commended the initiative, saying the Kenabot community was not a tolai community anymore as before, but a multicultural community and this brought about social challenges.
He said crime had risen in the community and the establishment of the police post was crucial in policing the community.
Magistrate Lavutul urged all police personnel assigned to the post to execute their duties diligently and professionally and work to manage crime in the area.
He said this meant Kenabot police post needed to be manned full time.
Magistrate Lavutul also raised concern at the detention of suspects and individuals in the post’s cell for long periods.
He said police officers could not take people and lock them up without properly arresting or charging them.
Magistrate Lavutul said keeping people for long periods was acceptable as it was an abuse of their rights.
He called on the Kenabot community to work together with police because law and order was everyone’s responsibility.