Police force kids to walk, abuse driver

By ANGELINE KARIUS
POLICE have admitted two officers, who stopped a truck, ordered three children to walk a kilometre home and assaulted the driver, had been drunk at the time.
A police spokesman said the officers had been on night duty and on their way home when they forced the driver to stop his vehicle.
The admission comes after an angry Port Moresby parent, Peter Bailey, said his children,  aged  six, eight and 14, had been left traumatised by the experience and had to miss school that day.
Bailey said his driver had been taking his children to school when he was stopped at 7am near the Mango Street intersection at Hohola last Wednesday.
The children, who live at Hohola 5, were stopped a few metres from the intersection.
“My children were traumatised by the profanity and abuse used at my driver in front of the children,” he said.
“The policemen involved were heavily intoxicated.
“They (policemen) ordered my children to get out of the truck and one of them drove the vehicle to the Hohola police station,” he said.
The policemen had been travelling in a taxi but in full uniform at the time.
Bailey said when he rushed to the Hohola police station, he found his driver lying motionless and bleeding on the floor.
He said when he arrived at the station one of the policemen was trying to remove personal items from his truck including his stereo and speakers.
He said when he questioned the officer he was nearly punched on the face.
“I yelled at the officers at the station that Sylvester (driver) did not deserve being beaten up as he was a decent man,” he said.
“I am sure many law-abiding citizens of our beautiful country will agree with me that rogue policemen have no place in the force.
“These policemen are trained to protect ordinary citizens.
“They have sworn an oath to uphold justice.
“Their behaviour is unprofessional, unacceptable and uncalled for.
“They show no respect for the law by using excessive force and dangerous restraining techniques to subdue suspects, it is an abuse of human rights,” he said.
Confirming the incident, a police spokesman said the officers involved had been under the influence of alcohol.
“If the officers involved are charged and found to have committed the offence in breach of the law, they will be dealt with,” he said.
“This type of behaviour is unbecoming of police officers.”
The driver of the truck has not been charged and was released later that day after being initially locked up at the police station.