Law enforcers can only do so much with the lack of control on rural-urban migration.
The more people that move into the cities, more pressure is put on the limited police resources.
Petty crimes have always been a problem in urban centres. Lae Metropolitan Superintendent, Chris Kunyanban, said for PNG’s second largest city, one police officer is serving 450 people.
The high influx of people coming into the city places a great strain on police manpower and logistics.
Chief inspector Kunyanban highlighted their daily challenges when responding to a petition presented by concerned city residents who were frustrated with the ongoing petty crimes at the bus stops.
“Yumi toktok lo populeisen ya, ol man ya stap lo we? Ol no anis bai ol hait lo ston. Ol i stap lo iligol setelment antap lo steit lend o kastomeri lend. Papagraun givim graun lo ol. Papagraun ino toktok wantem provinsol otoriti o plening. Ino toktok wantem mipla polis.”
Kunyanban said police is called only when trouble occurs when in the first place, they were not involved in the giving of land to outsiders.
“Mi no sutim tok lo papagraun,” he stated. “Mi tromoi tok antap. Papagraun i stap, provinsel otoriti i stap; ol nid lo wok wantem. Yumi gat problem; ino gat coordination.”
The chief inspector said there is a need for the landowners, the law and justice sector, Lae City Authority, Lae Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Morobe Provincial Government and other stakeholders to work with police.
(Lae Metropolitan Superintendent, Chris Kunyanban)