Lae residents can now contact Lae Police through Whatsapp, a popular social media application.
The police toll free number is now linked to Whatsapp, and will allow smartphone users in the city to file complaints using this medium.
Lae Metropolitan Commander, Chief Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr said this will increase the resident’s accessibility to the police by using technology that is available to smartphone users.
This is in addition to the Police toll free number which was launched in June this year, in partnership with Digicel PNG.
Since it’s inception, the toll free number has been used by residents reporting cases of domestic violence, public disorder, robberies amongst other reported crimes.
Wagambie said using Whatsapp will now enable people to not only file complaints, but send pictures and videos as well.
He advised that the identities of people filing complaints will be kept confidential, and information received will only be used for official police business.
The Whatsapp launch follows soon after the capacity of the Lae Police’ Sector Response Unit (SRU) was increased from four to eight units.
The eight units will be patrolling four zones within Lae. This will improve police response to crimes in the city.
