Police comms centre needs equipment

By JIMMY KALEBE
THE police communication centre for the Northern Command in Lae has been completed but still needs improvements in terms of equipment to be fully operational, according to Lae Met Supt Chief Insp Chris Kunyanban.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) funded facility houses the information technologies (IT) services that police need for effective community policing in the region.
“At the moment there is no switch board to operate the police toll free number,” Met Supt Kunyanban said.
He said the infrastructure was also accommodating closed circuit television (CCTV) that were recently installed in selected areas in Lae together with radio operation, data entry and other IT services that boost police work.
“The AFP has done extremely well in assisting local police in terms of infrastructures like watch house (police cells) renovations and improvements in other areas,” Met Supt Kunyanban said.
Meanwhile, the Malahang watch house which was committed to be an isolation centre for inmates has seen over the last week first 10 prisoners cleared of the Covid-19 and sent to Buimo prison.
The Malahang watch house was selected after Buimo prison refused to accept prisoners due to the the Covid-19 pandemic alert.