Police station commanders suspended for speaking to media
By Rebecca Kuku
THREE police station commanders in Port Moresby have been suspended for speaking to the media without the permission to Metropolitan Superintendent Perou N’dranou.
N’dranou blamed reporters for the disciplinary action taken against the officers because they had gone straight to them to get their stories.
He advised reporters to respect procedures so as to maintain the trust and relationship with the constabulary. “These police station commanders were not authorised to speak to the media under the Police Act and were breaching the law when they gave out information to the media,” he said.
“It is wrong and they have been suspended.”
N’dranou said only officers authorised by Police Commissioner Gari Baki could speak to the media.
“No one else. That includes police station commanders and zone commanders. If you want stories from them, you get it from me. If police station commanders or zone commanders have stories they want to give to the media, they must give it to me to give it to you.”
N’dranou said he was the only one authorised in Port Moresby to give media reports.
N’dranou declined to give the names of the sacked police station commanders when asked to by The National.