Report matters to police: Cop

PEOPLE should take their complaints and disputes to the police or the courts to address and solve rather than taking the law into their own hands, a senior police officer says.
Highlands eastern end commander Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Joseph Tondop said lives had been lost and properties destroyed because people did not respect the law.
He said a police station was where people could go to lay their complaints and the police and courts would ensure law breakers were punished and issues resolved.
ACP Tondop said this was not happening and was one of the reasons tribal fighting and the destruction to properties was still common in the Highlands.
He said tribes that lived near towns and cities needed to behave better and not disrupt services or threaten public safety by their violent actions.
ACP Tondop said people could no longer continue to be ignorant.
“I’m raising this concern because people’s mindsets are not changing and this is why communities are not living in peace and order,” he said.
“When you resort to violence instead of seeking police and court assistance, you are putting yourself into more problems.”
ACP Tondop urged people to put the interests of the majority first.
He said people should act within the law in order to allow progress and development in their communities.
He said when two individuals had a disagreement, there was no need for others to be involved to make things worse.
“In Mt Hagen, I have received (reports of) many incidents that were related to alcohol abuse or stealing which leads to innocent lives being lost,” ACP Tondop said.
“If you see that your family member is engaging in such activities he or she must be reported to police.”