Sir Peter calls for return of Aust police

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ENGA Governor Sir Peter Ipatas has called for the bringing back of Australian police officers to help enforce law and order around the country under the Enhanced Cooperation Programme.
The programme was shelved in 2005 after a court order granted to former Morobe governor Luther Wenge.
Sir Peter, addressing Prime Minister James Marape in Parliament yesterday, said the Australian police officers would assist in curbing criminal activities in Enga and other provinces.
“One of our biggest challenges is law and order and time and time again I have been trying to get the consent of our Government to negotiate with the Australian government to reactivate the programme we had in the past,” he said.
“There may be governors who may not want the assistance but there are some of us who need the Australian police to come and assist us to improve the capacity of police in the provinces.
“Those of us provinces who want to engage the Australian police to come and work can be given immunity and work and improve on the law and order situation,” he said. Marape said he would have to seek clarity on the issue.
“At this stage, I do not have a direct answer (for) him.
“However let me assure him and Parliament that I will get an answer,” Marape said.
He said the court had stopped the Government from engaging police from Australia but he would find out a solution to the problem.

12 comments

  • The learnt governor of Morobe at the time knew all along the negative impacts of the engagement of Australian police officers that outweighed the benefits, if any , hence fought thick and thin and the programme was shelved.

    Enga Governor knows pretty well the real causes of the criminal activities in his province and must use local resources to curb the issues. What more does Sir Ipatas expect from the Australian police officers? How can one knowingly create problems and expect someone from outside to solve it for him?

    Enga governor needs to realign his thinking relative to his administration in the province and resort to calling for assistance.

  • It simply shows that Peter Ipatas doesn’t appreciate and trust our hard working police officers who works tirelessly every day and night to restores our country’s normalcy…

  • I commend the Enga Governor for asking the PM to request the assistance of Australian Police to return to PNG and help out in improving RPNGC in policing.
    Legal immunity must be given to them to come and freely carry out their duty to bring law and order back into our country.

  • Its time we take our Police Force to the next level. Get them on 1 year probation and we see how we go about. its not a bad idea.

  • Sir Ipatas kmows what he is talking about ,because PNG police force,some rotten apples involved in illegal deals and can’t be trusted.
    However,majority are hardworking policemen and women.

  • Am not from Enga but I appraise this man Peter Ipatas. He is a veteran and seasoned politician. He has seen enough faults in the local police to raise the issue. If Enga province is crippled by lawlessness how are other provinces fairing. His call is a noble one not only undermining local police but will build capacity where discipline and lack of SOP lacks. The local police have seen better days.
    I sincerely ask my governor Allan Bird to unite with Peter Ipatas and renew the call. ESP has recently been hit by killings and prunings and the local police are unable to smother this man made pandemic.

  • I fully support Sir Peter. It’s been a long time.since independence and look at the state of our police force. There is no discipline. There is no proper training. Police officers should have a minimum requirement of grade 12. And there should be a programmer of at least 2-3 years, maybe it could be upgraded to a diploma programme like they do for instance in Norway. No diploma, no police. We need officers who are intellectually fit, who are physically also top fit and not with overgrown bellies.
    They fact that a PNG politician calls for help from outside is indeed very bad for PNGs reputation but it’s reality. It indirectly confirms PNG as a failed state and the Police force as broken and incapable. Let them come in and show our boys how to police a country.

  • We should trust our fellow PNGeans to do the job but there are some factors that makes us to question their ability and the professionalism of these police personnel to be in our Police Force.
    Issues that needs to be addressed;
    1) Recruitment Process:
    The recruitment Criteria should not be manipulated by the recruitment officers through bribery or nepotism. Honesty and Integrity should prevail in the constabulary.
    2) Discipline:
    Most of our officers are ill Discipline. For instance; How can you as a senior officer chew bettlenut whilst on duty and in full uniform during office hours?
    No wonder the junior officers are following your Example.
    – Lack of physical exercises; too many pot bellies and drunkard cops that are not physically fit to be in the Police Force. PT tests should be done every 6 months to see if they are physically fit to be in the Police Force.
    3) Foot patrol:
    You hardly see cops doing foot patrol in most of our major town and cities.
    How can you curb crime and build relationship with the community, if there are no police presence.
    This should be a daily occurrence from 8am – 4pm. Clock in, clock out.
    4) Corruption:
    5) Cops involved with gangs:
    Once you do that, You lowered your standard and you should be ashamed of yourself and should never at the first place be a police officer, you should a criminal instead.
    There are more reasons, but how can you lead a peaceful community, when you don’t have integrity and overall lack good moral judgments.
    No wonder, the Australian Federal Police are called upon by our good Governor to come and help assist instill pride (and self belief) into the deteriorating fabric structure of the police mechanism that was once upon a time held on such high esteem by my Father’s and brothers in the late 70s, 80s and into the 90s.

  • Umu you said it all well and perfect. Our boys need support in self discipline, but also good governance by the police hierarchy and the government.

  • Enga is getting much from the national government and donor partners. Use the resources there to curve the situation.

  • Modern PNG does not need to be re-colonised or invasion of foreign task masters. Hon Governor needs to support the Police Minister.
    Lest we demoralized our men as incompetent national police officers in the eyes of the global community

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