Police college looking to recruit 500 members

AFTER a four-year hiatus, the Bomana Police College is looking to recruit another 500 members in the next seven to eight months as the constabulary plans to build up a 8,000-strong force.
Police Minister William Onglo told Parliament yesterday that police had about 6,000 officers currently serving about nine million people in PNG.
He said that there was an escalating law and order situation in the country and the struggle was for the constabulary to rebuild itself in terms of manpower.
“We are commencing recruitment this year with an expected 500 cadets to join the constabulary,” he said.
“We are struggling to build our numbers up, PNG and Australian partnership programme, and we are looking and accepting recruits, in the next seven-eight months. We are looking at rebuilding our numbers.
“We retired 320 in 2020 and this year we are retiring 168.
“That should be about 400-plus.”
Onglo who took over the police ministry from Justice Minister Bryan Kramer in December, was responding to questions raised by Central Governor Robert Agarobe, who asked about the safety of his Central people, who travelled into Port Moresby often.
He asked if there could be a separate police command for Central.
“I can assure you I will speak to the commissioner and we’ll come up with a solution to having a separate police command,” Onglo said.