Police need funds for fuel, repairs

By MARJORIE FINKEO
SHORTAGE of fuel and a lack of timely service of police vehicles is largely due to underfunding compared to previous years, Assistance Police Commissioner logistics division Tony Duwang says.
Duwang said Port Moresby police needed around K2.5 million monthly for the provision of fuel and maintenance of vehicles.
He said last year, only half of the amount needed was received on a monthly basis and the department struggled to maintain its services.
He said last year, the Police Department budgeted K155,000 for fuel and K180,000 for vehicle repairs per month in the National Capital District.
“Adjustments had to be made when the funding ceiling was dropped on monthly allocations.”
When asked about the hiring of vehicles, Duwang said the Police Department had 36 vehicles on hire with periods for six months or less.
He said some vehicles were hired for short term investigations, while others were hired as a replacement when vehicles undergo service and repair.
A total of 109 police vehicles are running in the NCD command.
Duwang said the 2020 Budget saw a slight increase for the NCD command this year – from K18 million last year to K23 million this year.
“This year, we hope to see an improved situation with sufficient funds made available for fuel and repair in NCD,” he said.
An officer, who did not wish to be named, said they could only conduct foot beats to their zone bus stops, markets and shop areas but they could not respond quickly to complaints either because of the fuel shortage or because they did not have enough vehicles.
He said it was risky for policemen in uniform to catch a PMV to go to crime scenes.
This has had an impact on the number of arrests made and complaints attended to.
NCD Met Supt Perou N’dranou expressed his disappointment during a monthly parade because officers were making fewer arrests.
Records show that only five arrests were made last month and Gordon Police Station is still waiting for its operation vehicle to be fixed after it was damaged in the Erima shooting last September.
While the number of complaints in NCD increased last month few arrests were made.
Police records show that in January, 470 cases were reported and 101 arrests made. However, 369 complaints were unattended.
From Jan 20-26, a total of 81 police traffic cases were reported with 47 arrests made and 34 complaints unattended.
Upon visiting several police stations in the city, The National found that from the 30 to 40 complaints made daily at Gordon police station, at least 20 per cent of them were attended to because either the complainant assisted with fuel or a vehicle, if the crime scene was closer to the station, the public helped in apprehending suspects while the station’s Fox Unit was there to assist in the other cases.
Met Supt N’dranou said the fuel shortage issue started in November 2018 after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Port Moresby.
“It’s not a new issue that police have been experiencing fuel shortages at all police stations and that the right authorities and the government should know by now,” he said.
N’dranou said in the middle of 2019, NCD police ran out fuel for three days and officers had to find their own way to work.
He said despite the challenges policemen would continue to perform their duties and maintain law and order in the city.