Police take lead

 OVER 2500 security personnel will be deployed at July’s Pacific Games, Security and Safety Committee chairman, chief superintendent David Manning says. 

He said the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary would take the lead in ensuring the event is trouble free during its two-week duration. He said of the total number of men and women, 2000 would come from the police force, 300 from the Defence Force and 200 from the Correctional Services. 

All will be deployed on a full-time basis to provide 24-hour security services at venues and other Games locations in the city over the course of the event from July 4-18.

 “Together, we will provide the best security service for our visitors and locals during the Pacific Games to make sure that they enjoy a peaceful and successful event,” Manning said. 

Manning said the number of Australian Federal Police officers involved in assisting the organisers at the Games would be more than 200.

The AFP, which has had a presence in the city for the last three years, is expected to work with local police.

Manning said of the K30 million allocated by the state for Games security K26 million or 86.6 per cent of the funding would be for the police force given they accounted for 80 per cent of the number of security personnel.

“The funding is divided into two components – the mobilisation budget and the operational budget,” Manning said.

“The police will have K26 million to carry out is Games operations while the Defence Force gets K2 million and the Correctional Services will have around the same amount as well.”

He said since the constabulary would bear the main burden of security all police personnel in the city would be used while some 300 trainees from the Bomana Police College outside Port Moresby would be used for basic public order duties, vehicle and traffic control and outside all venues.

“The bulk of the force used at the Games will be from the National Capital District.

“We’ll have three police mobile squads from Mt. Hagen, Lae and Rabaul assisting, and that will push our numbers up to 2000.

“The work of the security personnel during the Games will cover a range of public safety and general duties that will be carried out by special divisions like the dog unit and other support units,” he said.