Wagambie wants to end police brutality, restore confidence

ALL reports of police brutality will be investigated immediately so that the people’s confidence in the police force, specifically in the National Capital District (NCD), will be restored.
Acting NCD and Central Asst Comm Anthony Wagambie Jr says the public had, over the years, lost its confidence in the force because “the people’s perception is that the police are covering up most of the reports”.
“The public, thus, don’t have trust in us. This must change, and the only way is to deal with such reports promptly and give due attention and priority in our probes,” he added.
“So we will investigate all reported police brutality cases immediately and take whatever recommendations and actions deemed necessary according to the rule of law.
“My main task in this new position is to win the hearts and minds of the public and communities for effective law and order enforcement.
“There must be absolute disciple in police personnel who must adhere to all Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in discharging their law enforcement duties. This is the only way forward for us all, the force and country,” he said, warning that he would not hesitate to make an example of rogue policemen to serve as a lesson to all in the force.
“Policemen and women must remember that our actions and behaviour are monitored by the public, scrutinised by the public daily.
“Sometimes we may be right, sometimes we may be wrong.
“But we have to be mindful that three out of five people will have smart phones, phones with built-in camera. They will be capturing your actions in photos or video. And your actions and behaviour will be made public in Facebook to the public and the rest of the world.
“If it is a bad visual, it will do no good to us and the force. So be mindful of the actions in public,” he stressed.
Wagambie lamented that it was unfortunate to see and read about police brutality cases in Port Moresby because “it affects the moral of the hardworking policemen and women.”