Right leadership in force can produce results, says commissioner

By DULCIE OREKE
THE nation’s police force is faced with many challenges but with the right leadership, changes for the better can be made, Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga says.
“There are many challenges facing the Royal PNG Constabulary and the way we conduct our business in Papua New Guinea.
“Many of these challenges are external, which we have little to almost no control over,” he said.
He said these included the increasing use and availability of arms and ammunition in crime, increasing complexity and frequency of crimes including fraud, trans-national crime, official corruption, project landowners related conflicts and ethnic clashes, high population growth, increase in school drop outs, substance abuse, urban drift, the economic boom, increase in project sites, influx of illegal foreigners and a rise in kidnapping and piracy.
Kulunga said while RPNGC have little to nil control over these external factors, they can influence, contain, minimise, subdue and control the flow-on effects of these external factors.
Kulunga said there are also many internal factors influencing the way they do policing in the country, which they have some degree of control over.
“I’m sure that with the right leadership attitude and commitment we can influence change for the better within the Royal PNG Constabulary,” he said.
Commissioner Tom Kulunga said a brief meeting with new Police Minister Nixon Duban recently had given him a great deal of confidence and assurance regarding the advancement of policing in the country under his leadership.
Duban, who was officially welcomed at the Konedobu police headquarters in Port Moresby yesterday, commended the police force for its role in a successful elections.