Police Commissioner David Manning opened a three-day meeting for law and order impact provinces at the Ela Beach Hotel in Port Moresby today.
The three-day workshop is being attended by Provincial Police Commanders from Hela, Southern Highlands, Enga, Western Highlands, Madang, West New Britain Province, Milne Bay, Oro and the two Metropolitan Commanders for Lae and NCD. Also present are headquarters based directors as well.
Manning said each of these provinces had, over the years, had serious law and order challenges resulting in a number of special police operations being mounted for various periods of time.
Manning stated that central to police work is the deterrence of crime or reaction or response time to crime. The Commissioner said for deterrence is being proactive and having in place a robust community engagement program.
Individual commands need to know what their strengths and weaknesses are. Manning said PPCs must know all there is to know about their provinces so that they can adequately address the law and order challenges.
For the meeting, the Acting Deputy Commissioner Operations, Donald Yamasombi, has tasked each of the PPCs to provide a supplementary operation order together with a six-month operational budget, a status report of police assets, manpower and resources within their commands as well as crime statistics for 2019.
Commissioner Manning said after the three-day meeting, all the Operational orders for the 10 commands will be presented to the National Executive Council for its endorsement and funding.
Meantime, the PNG Defence Force has been invited to attend the meeting as an observer.
(Police Commissioner David Manning delivering his opening speech at the meeting for law and order impact provinces. Seated from left to right: Assistant Commissioner Operations Samson Kua and Acting Deputy Commissioner Operations, Donald Yamasombi)