Hela call-out 2017

​No more Hela call-out: Baki

Police Commissioner Gari Baki said phase two of the exercise has not progressed due to, firstly, the Royal PNG Constabulary officers going into the election mode of operation. The second reason is funding.

“We do not have that many resources to enforce the call-out exercise in Hela,” Baki stated.

However, he added that the deployment on the elections will support their intentions in Hela.

(PNG Defence Force and Police personnel during their deployment in January)

Police commissioner to visit Hela

He says so far, Hela operations are running smoothly while today will be another surrendering of arms.

“From the last exercise that had taken place, we would like to really push for all the functional weapons to be surrendered as soon as possible.”

Baki says the Defence and Police are going into all the districts and doing awareness in terms of the surrendering of these weapons and hopefully, get some of the weapons out.

Hela call-out officially launched in Tari

The key message in the call-out is of surrendering illegal firearms whilst working together with security forces to restore law and order, and retaining peace in the province.

During the amnesty period, those that are in possession of illegal firearms are encouraged to surrender their weapons to the security personnel on operation, as there will be no arrests and charges laid against them.

After the 28th of February, those that are still in possession of illegal firearms will face the enforcement of the firearms act.