Police handicapped when pursuing criminals on water

POLICE in Madang cannot do much when it comes to pursuing criminals on water, acting provincial police commander acting Supt Mazuc Rubiang says.
Commenting on a recent piracy case that occurred between Karkar and Madang, Rubiang told The National that he had water policemen in the province but they had no boat.
“We have a water police section in Madang but they are handicapped because the boat isn’t operational,” he said.
“We only attend when the complainant or victim is a boat owner or has a boat to help us attend to their complaints,” he said.
Earlier this year, Police Comm David Manning admitted that criminals in maritime provinces found it easy to escape from the law because “we do not have boats to pursue them.”
“This is one of the biggest issues for us to address and also other stakeholders and maritime province leaders,” Manning said.
Manning said police not only needed fast and high-powered crafts to pursue criminals in the 15 maritime provinces but they needed to train their personnel to operate such boats and equipment.
He said the force had 30 water policemen based in Port Moresby, including three engineers and 14 trained skippers.
“The policemen need to be trained to operate boats and engineers to maintain and repair boats.
“Only then can the police boats used during last year’s Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit leaders meeting can be given to maritime provinces,” he added.
Manning said he would raise the issue with the Government and stakeholders in various maritime provinces to help police set up training centres for the water policemen and for them to be fully equipped for law enforcement operations.
“We also need wharves (docking facilities) and offices to operate,” he added.