Police, warders resolve to work together

 POLICE and prison authorities in Kimbe have agreed to work together following a row between officers from the two organisations last Friday.

West New Britain police commander Chief Supt Samson Siguyaru said he met on Monday with the Lakiemata jail commander Supt John Koilamus, Governor Sasindran Muthuvel and Islands regional police commander ACP Anton Billie to resolve the dispute.

He said that last Friday, a prison officer returning from the Governor’s Cup was arrested by police for being drunk and disorderly in public. He was locked up at the station. 

After learning of his arrest, other prison officers went to the police station and had him released. When they took him back home, they saw bruises on his body caused by his struggle with police when he resisted arrest.

Siguyaru said the prison officers returned to the station and had an argument with the police.

During the confrontation, a Task Force officer from Talasea was injured. His relatives later arrived in Kimbe town in trucks to question the police over his injury. But they were told to go home.

Siguyaru said he had suspended seven officers because of the incident pending an investigation.

“I am also calling on the comrades of the correctional service officer involved to forget about the K10,000 demand for compensation from the police,” he said.

“Let’s resolve the situation as professional disciplined officers of the country.”