Police calling on churches to assist in law and order issues

mlipen Lae News, Normal

POLICE in Morobe province are calling for stronger partnership to be established with the churches to curb law and order problems in the country.
Speaking to more than 3,000 delegates at the synod yesterday, divisional police commander for the Northern region Giossi Labi, said:  “Police in the country alone will not solve law and order problems.
“This is because the number of police personal in PNG is far smaller than the country’s population.
“Currently, there are about 3,000 police personal compared to the country’s population of about six million.
“From this, you will see the ratio of police to people is 1: 2,500  and this is too big,” Mr Labi said.
He also pointed out that law and order problems were rife because of many other contributing factors.
“The education system is throwing many of our children onto the streets, Government services are not reaching the rural areas causing many youths to come into town looking for opportunities, our economy is not helping us with the ever increasing price of store goods, causing youths to steal and the list goes on,” he said.
Presenting these to a packed house, he challenged the Lutheran church and other churches to strengthen their partnership with the police to address these issues.
He said the two main-line churches – Evangelical Lutheran church (ELC-PNG) and the Catholic church “had very good networking system and so you must work with the police”.
Mr Labi, who led his top delegates of police
personals in the province to the synod, told the crowd that Lutheran church had a good networking system such as its media, hospitals, schools, social concern offices and various church departments that could really assist police in addressing and curbing law and order.
He also encouraged the delegates to seek advice from their provincial police commanders on how they could help police tackle law and order issues in their own areas.
“Police are there for you to maintain law and order in your area but we too need your assistance as well,” Mr Labi said.