Perform, address serious issues: Kramer

Police officers occupying top posts are expected to perform.

Police Minister Bryan Kramer says issues affecting the force are very extensive that expectations are high for the hierarchy.

During the announcement of the new acting Police Commissioner on September 3rd, the Police Minister stressed on performance.

“All members within the constabulary will know, the police force has serious issues,” Kramer said. “This instability has been in there year in, year out. What’s happening now is, the force is going to run professionally, where you are expected to perform and address serious issues.

“Every day I’m bombarded from police brutality, crimes in Alotau, in my electorate (Madang), houses burning in Wewak, I mean there are serious command and control issues.

“We’ve got the recent elections and mayors shooting people so I’m passing information on and the question is, will it get addressed?”

With David Manning being the new acting police commissioner and Donald Yamasombi the acting Deputy Police Commissioner – Operations, Kramer says they will be placed under the same level of scrutiny as outgoing acting commissioner, Francis Tokura.

Kramer further said he is aware that the higher the ranking of an officer, the more invitations they receive from people who seek to be in their favour.

“The concern of the Marape-Steven Government is the welfare of our rank and file. So I’ve put them both on notice, that if they start to or seem to be having luncheons and hanging around certain business people’s interest they will be quickly finding themselves out of that acting appointment.

“So there will be no overseas trips. The force has serious issues, we deal with the force. All other issues are secondary as far as I’m concerned. We work on command and control of the force, we work on improving systems and we focus on the welfare of the police as a priority.”

Kramer said he has made it very clear to fellow Cabinet members that they should not have any police personnel following them unless they have a genuine concern over security risks.

The Minister has promised a major cleanup of the force in the coming weeks.

(Police Minister Bryan Kramer file picture)

Author: 
Carmella Gware