By Martha Louis – EM TV News, Lae
Police in the Northern Region have been challenged to perform to the expectation in line with their recent promotions, as discipline will be a key issue.
Divisional Commander of Northern Region, Assistant Commissioner, Peter Guinness, said all police personnel in the region must follow and respect the nature of the rank and position they hold. He added that there is no easy way around for officers who violate discipline laws.
Guinness said all senior officers within the Northern Command promoted were done so on merit and must stand for it.
He thanked the Police Commissioner, Gari Baki, for promoting PPCs and the Lae Metropolitan Chief Superintendent in the region.
He said now it was time these officers hold such ranks so that it gives them absolute authority to command and control personnel.
Meanwhile, as part of Guinness’s Divisional Strategic Plan, housing is a the top priority, adding that land will be made available for housing.
Currently, there are a couple of incomplete houses, sponsored by both police and other stakeholders, but for some unknown reasons they were not completed.
Some police standard houses were built in 2013 in Lae’s Bumbu Police Barracks, including the Regional Training Centre.
Guinness said this project was sponsored by the Police Department and it was supposed to be completed in the middle of 2014.
We are now in 2016 and the houses are yet to be completed.
Guinness said with the government directions of more police personnel in the country it must first address the accommodation problem.
He said there was no point recruiting young personnel when there is no accommodation to house them.
It will be proper and fitting to have accommodation in place before enlisting new personnel.
At the moment, pass outs are withheld back at the police college awaiting call outs from provinces with accommodation.
