Officers’ tactics not good

 By JUNIOR UKAHA

AN ex-policeman has condemned tactics used by some community task force officers when carrying out their duty. 

Peter Bruno, a veteran police officer who had served in the force as a mobile squad member in the 1970s, said he was happy with the work the task force was doing to keep peace in the community but he was concerned about the manner in which they were carrying out some of their tasks.

Bruno, who resides at the Bumbu Compound, said on Christmas Day that a group of community task force members under orders from police entered his premises without a search warrant, tied up three of his relatives with nylon ropes for drinking and took them to the police station.

“When my wife tried to intervene and calm the situation, they assaulted  her,” Bruno claimed. 

“My bubu’s (grandchild’s) boom box was also missing when the group left.

Bruno said he was a policeman once and knew the processes involved in handling people who broke the law.

“At least they should be treated fairly, taken to the police station and charged and not be beaten,” Bruno said.

He questioned why things like bush knives, sticks, iron rods and stones were carried around by the community task force.

Bruno claimed that there were long-standing differences among youths at the Bumbu Compound and some youths were teaming up with community policing officers and using the task force as an opportunity to attack their rivals.

“The police officers must come back and get feedback from the community as to how these task force members are doing,” Bruno said.

“I’m sure many would agree with what I’m saying now.”

Mark Aigal, chairman of the Bumbu community task force team, however, said Bruno was crying out in the media because his children were producing homebrew in their home and he was trying to cover up for them.

Aigal said they did chase the youths who were consuming steam, charged them and locked them up.

He denied that his group had used heavy-handed tactics.

“He should come and work with us,” Aigal said.

Lae metropolitan commander Iven Lakatani supported Aigal saying the task force had done a good job so far and people who are criticising them were the ones who were trying to support and promote people involved in illegal activities.