Rogue officers getting out of hand

 TRIGGER-happy policemen are still roaming our streets and the country side.

These so-called law enforcers are as dangerous as the criminals they pursue and many of their victims are innocent and law-abiding people.

The news media has been inundated with reports of police brutality cases, including shooting incidents, for the past two years

Not a day has gone by without news headlines of someone being bashed up or shot by the police.

Police brutality reached a new level in 2013 when more than 70 men, residents of a settlement in the National Capital District, were assaulted and wounded by a group of policemen.

It was alleged that the heavily-armed policemen forced the large group of men from Morobe, who were on their way to an ethnic clash, to lay on the group while they slashed their Achilles tendons with bush knives.

The incident received wide publicity following the intervention by Justice David Cannings of the National and Supreme Courts in summonsing the NCD police command to appear in court to explain the incident.

Tom Kulunga, who was police commissioner at the time, described the police action as “totally unbelievable”. 

“We have no place for such evil and brutal policemen or women,” he said.

Another high-profile case in 2013 involved the police slaying of infamous bank robber and prison escapee William Kapris and his accomplice Raphael Walimini on the Hiritano Highway near Port Moresby in July. There have been allegations that the police executed the pair instead of apprehending and returning them to Bomana jail, where they had escaped from. 

Relatives of Kapris called for an independent investigation into the killing. Nothing further has been heard of this case. 

In an earlier and similar case, a man suspected of robbery, rape and escaping from custody, was shot dead by police in Popondetta, Northern. 

The police officer who allegedly shot and killed the suspect was charged with willful murder and unlawful discharge of a firearm.

Just before the killing of Kapris and Walimini, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill had warned rogue policemen who were armed with high-powered firearms not to purse political leaders on the pretext of carrying out their normal duties.

O’Neill issued the warning after complaints by several MPs about the strong-arm tactics employed by these rogue policemen in trying to haul them in to face various charges and cases they were involved in.

Despite the growing concerns by the political leadership, police hierarchy and the community at large, rogue cops continue to prevail and thrive on our innocent, weak and defenseless citizens.

The death of a young man in Manus in August 2013 at the hands of five policemen highlighted this total lack of discipline and absolute disobedience of the country’s laws by a minority who seem hell-bent on destroying all that the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary stands for. The majority of our decent, respectful and hardworking policemen and women certainly do not deserve to be dragged down the sewer drain by a handful of rogue and trigger-happy cops who are seemingly getting away with murder.

Kulunga vowed at the time to rid the Constabulary of rogue cops and other unwanted elements but so far the police hierarchy has not walked that talk.

Defence Minister Fabian Pok announced that he would instigate measures to clean up that particular disciplined force of its rogue elements. 

He said these tough new measures would include the termination of employment without benefits for members of the force found guilty of brutality, violence and other illegal or criminal acts. 

By the same token, the police hierarchy needs to send a loud and clear message to its rank and file members that enough is enough.

Police Commission Jeffrey Vaki and his top brass also need to review their fire-arm regulations and restrict the issuing of these dangerous weapons to members of the police force. 

Selected officers should undergo a rigid screening process before they are issued with licences to carry and use fire-arms. 

The licences must only permit them to use their fire-arms in self-defense or to protect others from being hurt or killed. Under no circumstances should they be licenced to kill.

The horrendous killing of young mother Moanna Pisimi in Lae on New Year’s Day further highlights concerns of law-abiding citizens that something is terribly wrong with our police force.