By: Alphonse Aime (DWU Journalism Student)
A provincial Police parade last Friday, in Kokopo marked the formal closing of this year’s police operations.
The Assistant Commissioner for Police, Anton Billy who was given a walk through the parade, issued a stern warning to his officers to discipline themselves.
“If you can’t do your job, we will make you do your job,” Mr. Billy told his officers at the parade.
Mr. Billy made this remark to remind his policemen and women in the province about the reputation of the PNG police force that has been tarnished by police brutality in recent years.
He said discipline within the police force is getting out of hand.
The NGI police boss said it is of common knowledge that police officers who pass out of Bomana every year should provide safety to the public, and not hurt them.
Billy said: “Shoes should be polished, hairs cut, uniforms ironed and teeth brushed. We as responsible officers supposed to correct our men at the front line. We are not doing it”.
He said officers are lacking discipline and respect for the uniform, and it is awful to see them chewing betelnut and consuming alcohol while on duty.
“How can the public trust us when we are showing a bad picture? ” Mr. Billy retorted.
