NIP police working on credit

POLICE in New Ireland are depending on “dinau” (credit) to operate, according to provincial commander Supt Gideo Ikumu.
Ikumu said the situation came about when his monthly K10,000 allocation was cut off in April by headquarters.
Ikumu said he did not know about other provinces but it was a sad situation for New Ireland police.
“I used to get K10,000 every month but since April that funding stopped,” Ikumu said.
“This has had a major impact on our operations.
“We are now getting things like fuel on credit from businesshouses and we promised them to settle the bills once we receive our money.”
Ikumu said he did not know the exact amount they owed businesses as those details are were with his personnel officer.
“Right now we are depending on kind-hearted businesshouses in the province who support us to carry out tasks,” Ikumu said.
The provincial police commander said they also had many outer islands they needed to visit but their dinghy too had no fuel to take police officers there.
“We’ve also run out of rations to feed the detainees in our holding cells.
“We are giving them until end of this month, we will release them because we can’t feed them here.”
Ikumu said it was something beyond their control so he was using whatever resources he had at his disposal to ensure police work was carried out on the island.
Ikumu said another important issue affecting police on the island was accommodation.
He said because of lack of accommodation, new recruits could not be sent to the province to boost manpower. “I was supposed to receive 15 new recruits but because there is no accommodation, they did not come,” Ikumu said.
“My staff ceiling is about 200 officers, but I have only 130 officers.”
Ikumu said a fair number of them were ageing officers who would retire soon so he needed more young officers in the province.