Police boss: Recruits need housing

 LACK of accommodation for new police recruits has hampered the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary’s (RPNGC) plans to send out officers on the field to work, Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga says.

Kulunga said 556 recruits were trained but they had not graduated due to the lack of accommodation. 

He said he had discussed with political leaders to assist with accommodation but nothing had eventuated and the recruits were still living at the Bomana Police College.

He said increasing the number of police personnel was one of his priorities besides renovating the college, police stations and additional housing for graduate recruits.

“We had not recruited new policemen and women for over 12 years until last year,” he said at the Leaders’ Summit in Port Moresby on Tuesday. “So the gap is quite large not only in terms of manpower but the college has lost its training officers and the facilities have declined.

“I can’t bring in new ones because there’s no accommodation for those who have already completed training. If I don’t increase the number, the government will be on my back.”

Kulunga said the RPNGC was expected to have a total of 8,000 police officers by 2015 which he described as unrealistic due to the insufficient facilities and skills training staff.

He said the government had funded the RPNGC since last year and this year they received K53 million.

He said in Port Moresby, the Boroko police station was given priority to undergo renovations for it to become the model station.