No need for special tourism force: Police

CRIMES against tourists can be prevented if authorities focus more on addressing existing problems in the police force rather than creating tourism police, says a provincial police commander.
Supt Gideo Ikumu, the New Ireland commander, said this on Friday following the recent robbing of tourists in Milne Bay by armed thugs.
The robbery had prompted calls by some leaders to have the tourism police concept introduced in parts of the country where tourists go to.
Ikumu said tourists could be protected better if police had vehicles, firearms, radios, fuel and other logistics that helped in their work.
Ikumu, who looks after police operations in one of the more touristy areas in the country, said if police were better equipped, tourists would become more difficult targets as police would provide security and respond to threats quicker.
“Tourism policing is a reactive approach,” Ikumu said.
“Tourism policing is a last resort put in place to manage a crisis.
“It is an old concept which has been talked about for some time.
“It is a good concept but if we are thinking about protecting our tourists, it’s better to equip police first.”