Police cleaning up on its act

 SELDOM do we pay out compliments to underperforming departments in this country. 

But, sometimes, credit needs to be given were it is due – especially when affirmative action is seen to be taken by those in charge to clean up on their acts and look respectable and professional. 

The much-maligned Royal PNG Constabulary has taken a step in the right direction recently with a slew of suspensions, demotions and a high-profile dismissal for good measure showing the hierarchy’s low tolerance of wayward and rogue personnel. 

We say it is a timely act by Police Commissioner Tony Wagambie and his administration to put their so-called “boot up the backsides” of law enforcement officers who have committed a variety of transgressions which have added to the dim reputation of policemen (and women) in Papua New Guinea. It says here that their standards are looking to be improved, firstly, by setting the bar for what is acceptable behaviour in and out of uniform, secondly, to put back a sense of teamwork in the department that, at times, seems to suffer from the malady of “the right hand not knowing what the left is doing” and, thirdly, this is for the benefit of the public at large. 

After all, 2011 has been declared the year of discipline. 

We hope that this is not the usual lip service we have grown accustomed to over the years. 

A case in point was the dismissal of wife-bashing officer Const Simon Bernard which showed the force to be one for the people. 

The violence, trauma and abuse Bernard subjected his spouse Joy Wartovo to over an extended period of their marriage was a terrible indictment on the abuse of his power and, indeed, what he had sworn an oath to do – to serve and protect. 

In some instances, police themselves could be accused of closing ranks on her and denying her the right of protection. 

What kind of an advertisement to the people is this for a department which, ironically, relies on the people’s help to do its duty? 

This was very bad form to say the least. 

Wagambie had to act. Any decent law-abiding citizen would have been appalled at the inaction of the force so the whip was cracked and some undesirable members of the force were sent packing. 

We commend the RPNGC for doing the conscionable thing in this matter. Criminal charges brought against Bernard would be seen as the next logical step to close the page on this man’s sordid behaviour. Anything less would be a cop out. 

The Police Internal Affairs Directorate is to be commended for its part in effectively putting the heat on its own over the past 12 months. It gives the public confidence that police themselves can keep their men in line because, if they cannot, who can and, more importantly, who will? 

More than 100 police personnel have been investigated for various breaches of the constabulary’s code of ethics ranging from brutality, theft, seeking bribes, extorting money and services, sexual misconduct, harassment, uttering threats, unlawful use of firearms, tampering with evidence, etc. 

The numbers are encouraging: IAD reports show that 10 officers have been dismissed, 12 demoted, 13 fined and 51 suspended. But, along with these statistics released by the Internal Affairs, a footnote says that this is only the proverbial tip of the iceberg. 

“Although statistics indicate that there were 167 serious and 10 minor offences, it is the belief of the Internal Affairs Directorate that these figures are unreliable and well below the real total. 

“So far this year, IAD received 66 complaints against police with 15 of the 53 investigated cases cleared in court while 15 were pending judicial outcomes.”

Deputy Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga stated that “assaults and improper conduct” were the most prevalent charges against police personnel during the reporting period. He even linked many of these instances directly to alcohol abuse. 

“This ongoing trend reflects poorly on supervisors in the constabulary and their inability to guide and model ethical behaviour.” 

Despite this frank admission, the onus is on the media and the public to continue to demand only the best from our law enforcement agencies. 

Civil society simply cannot function without an effective police force.