Police prioritise forensic unit

THE Royal PNG Constabulary has prioritised its forensics unit despite having a K42 million decrease in funding in the 2021 Budget for the force.
The overall police budget is K338.350mil compared to K380.701mil received this year.
Despite the decrease in budget, forensics will receive K18.668mil next year compared to the K8.45mil it received this year – an increase of K10.2mil.
The RPNGC’s forensics services unit is the force’s scientific investigative arm which has a biology laboratory, crime scene investigation office, ballistics (firearms and bullet) testing, finger printing and document examination capability.
Apart from forensic sciences, the national drug task force and communications services and maintenance, the family and sexual and violence units, Highlands Western end command and border command and maritime (Water) police command also saw increases in funding while the force’s entire units and programmes saw a decrease in their respective budgets.
The national drug task force will receive K3.07mil next year compared to K2.26mil this year – an increase of K81,000; communications services and maintenance had K1.922mil compared to K1.051mil this year – an increase of K871,000; and family and sexual violence unit, Highlands Western end command, border command and maritime police command all received K1mil each in the 2021 budget compared to no funding allocated to them this year.
The personnel and training programme had K52.984mil compared to K69.298mil this year.
Policy and administration programme had K42.074mil compared to K48.702mil in this year’s budget.
National fraud and corruption directorate had K5.4mil compared to K6.91 million this year.
Generally, the rest of the units and programmes had decreases in their respective allocations.