Image source: Wikimedia Commons
At least 15 or possibly more police officers are needed in Manus province.
Manus Acting Provincial Police Commander, Senior Inspector David Yapu, said the province need more men to maintain order on the refugee detention island where more than 900 male refugees are kept.
“Our total police strength on the island is only 55, and when we are talking about an unrest or public demonstration by these refugees, we are already outnumbered,” Senior Inspector Yapu says.
Apart from the usual police duties on the island province, the 55 officers are on call out for any hint of trouble at the Regional Processing center at Lombrum.
Manus has since reported numerous unrest by refugees at Lombrum with at least one reported death, and other serious injuries.
The Manus police boss says he has asked the police headquarters in Port Moresby to send more men to the island.
“ I want 15 more man who will be passing out from the Bomana Police Training Collage, to come to Manus so that we can beef up our manpower,” Yapu said.
Like any other province in the country, police accommodation for the Manus police still remain a struggle.
Meanwhile, Mr. Yapu said the PNG Immigration Department has arranged for accommodation to house the new officers.
The Manus Regional Processing Center has since been a center of attention.
Its operation has been put on hold since April last year after the PNG Supreme Court declared its operation unconstitutional.
Over the last 9 months, the Manus police have reported numerous instances of lawlessness involving both the refugees and non-refugees, including public drinking and outrage, harassment of commuters and rapes.
