Reshuffle can affect force

Letters

ONCE again, we see the media dancing in the blood of crime victims and crime resurgence in the capital and across the country.
It’s not the media to blame – never shoot the messenger they say – but crime is undeniably on the rise, and in the national capital the prevalence of crime is nearing the 1990s ‘Ford falcon days’– rampant lawlessness on the back of organised crime.
Many blame the inconsistency of leadership at the PNG Royal Constabulary’s top brass is having a rippling effect down the chain of command.
Police Minister Bryan Kramer should not be entirely blamed but the continuous change of Police Commissioners within the span of no less than five months could affect the camaraderie and work culture amongst the officers and distort planning, administration and mobilisation of resources.
All these put together you have a functioning disciplined force operating on effectiveness and efficiency.
Police officers work in extremely fluid conditions in which the unexpected and unanticipated become the norm.
However, to balance against this constant state of flux, officers depend upon an established sense of stability within the constabulary’s operational and managerial arrangements.
These men and women have trained together, bled and shot at and felt the pain and cold and shared the hardships and triumphs together.
When one of them gets pulled up the ranks everyone is elated or depressed when the opposite happens.
They have come to develop a relentless bond with each other and it is like an unwritten pact amongst themselves therefore inconsistent and sudden change may upset that balance and can produce the direct opposite to the intended outcomes detriment to effectiveness and efficiency.
Our police force like any organisation needs transformation for change but should develop a shared sensed of destiny for everyone – and enrolling others in those efforts – so they see their interests as being aligned with the organisation. And that boils down to leadership.
That way it doesn’t affect morale and/or disharmonise the balance the officers create and endure through trying times.

David Lepi
Pan Melanesian